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Research Library, The Getty Research Institute
http://www.archive.org/details/architecturalillOObill
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KOKTH SIDE FROM FRMJWEU.G.ME
limdenJ^Ushed by r.iKJt,muA/tM:i)iaou/Ji OttL'htrl WfL
ARCHITECTURAL ILLUSTRATIONS AND DESCRIPTION
OF THE
Catlbetrral Ci)urcf) at Buviymn,
ROBERT WILLIAM BILLINGS.
IConBon :
PUBLISHED BY T. AND W. BOONE, 29, NEW BOND STREET; AND THE AUTHOR,
MANOR HOUSE, KENTISH TOWN.
1843.
DIRIIAM : PRINTED BV FRANCIS IIIMULF. AND SOX.
PREFACE.
This Volume was commenced with the intention of making the architectural
illustrations to one scale. This intention has been carried out, and the Work
as now completed, forms, together with a similar Work by the Author upon
the Cathedral Church at Carlisle, the first series of parallel representations of
two English Cathedrals ever given to the public. It would seem perfectly
surprising that, in the numerous works already produced, this plan has not been
adopted, did not the length of time necessarily expended in making correct
representations, and lack of patronage, at once explain the cause.
For the materials of the Historical Account the Author is indebted to San-
derson's reprint of "Davis's Rites and Monuments of the Church of Durham"
(1767) ; the reprint (1816) of Hegge's "Legend of St. Cuthbert" ; Hutchin-
son's "History of Durham" (1785); and Raine's "St. Cuthbert" (1828).
As these contain the lives of the Bishops of Lindisfarne and Durham, as well
as biographies of the Priors and Deans, with the Statutes of the Cathedral,
and many other particulars, it has been thought unnecessary to enter into any
long account, and the principal portion of the following pages therefore relates
to the Cathedral in its present state.
The Author begs to tender his acknowledgments to the Dean and Chapter
of Durham, for the numerous facilities afforded him in the prosecution of the
Work, now terminated.
Durham, June 2, 1843.
TABLE OF CONTEXTS.
Historical Account ''''^^•
Table of Dates ... ... ... ... ... ... . _ „
Description of the Plan ... ... ... ... ... n
Alterations and Repairs ... ... ... ,.,
Arches and Groinings ... ... ... ... _ ,,.
19
20
••• - - ... ... 22
23
; - 24
... 29
31
35
37
39
41
- 41
42
44
46
4S
50
50
52
52
52
52
55
57
... 5S
Capitals
Doorways
Key Holes in the Vaulting
Roofs ...
Staircases and Passages
"Windows
The Galilee
IS'ine Altars
Central and Western Towers
The Choir
Clock
Bishop's Throne
Altar Screen ...
St. Cuthbert's Shrine ...
Altars and Shrines
Chapter House
Dean's Kitchen
Dormitory
Abbey Gateway
Cloisters
Library
Other Abbey Buildings
List of Bishops
List of Priors ...
List of Deans . .
LIST OF ENGRAVINGS,
FROM DRAWINGS BY R. W. BILLINGS.
No.
Vignette on Title Page — The Sanctuary Knocker, North door
1 . Doorway of the Altar Screen
2. The Abbey Gateway — East Front
3. 4. Ground Plan of the Cathedral
5. Plan of the Cathedral and Abbey Buildings
6, 7. North Elevation of the Cathedral (double Plate)
8, 9. South Elevation ... ... (do.)
10, 11. Longitudinal Section ... (do.)
12. Elevation of the "West End
13. Section of the Nave and Elevation of the Transept — West Side
14. West Side of the Transept — Internal Section
15. East Side of the Transept and Central Tower— Section
16. The Choir— Section ; with the East Side of the Transept— Externally
17. The Nine Altars. Section of the East Side — Internally ..
18 The West Side— Internally
19. Groining, &c., at the South End
20. Compartment of the Arcade
21. East Elevation of the Cathedral
22. Distant View, N. W., from the Newcastle Road ...
23. North View from Framwellgate
24. East View from Bo w Lane
25. The Western Towers and North Entrance
26. South West View from the Mill
27. South East View from Elvet Banks
28. Altar Screen. View of the Lower Part, in the Shrine
29. Canopy of the Great Central Niche
30. Plan of three Stages
31- Mouldings and Detail
32. Elevation of one-half— The West Side
33. Do. do. The East Side
34. The Galilee. Ground Plan
35. Details
36. View of the Central Compartment, looking East
37. Interior, from the North West Comer
38. Part of the West End of the Nave— Internally ...
39. Norman Doorway. South Side of the Nave
40. Capitals and Detail
41. Interior of the Nave
42. South Aisle of the Nave, looking East
43. Triforium of the Nave
44. East Walk of the Cloisters
45. The Cloisters, South Transept, and Tower
46. The North Transept and Tower
Engraver.
JR. W. BilUngs.
J. Saddler.
do.
R. W. BWings.
G. B. Smith.
G. Gladwin.
do.
do.
J. Saddler.
G. B. Smith.
G. Winter.
G. B. Smith.
B. W. Billinjis.
G. B. Smith.
B. W. Billimjs.
J. Saddler.
B. W. Billincfs.
do.
J. Saddler.
J. 11. Le Keux.
do.
B. W. Billini/s.
J. Saddler.
do.
J. H. Le Keux.
G. Winter.
B. W. Billinys.
do.
G. Winter.
G. Gladwin.
B. W. Biliinffs.
do.
G. Gladwin.
B. W. Billings.
G. Gladwin.
G. Winter.
do.
B. W. Billings.
G. Winter.
J. Saddler.
B. W. Billings.
J. Saddler.
J. H. Le Keux.
LIST OF ENGRAVINGS.
No.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
Cortel Table and Panelling in the Tower
View across the East End of the Nave— The NeTille Tomb
The Transept, looking North
The Clock and part of the South Transept
The Choir, loolcing West
The Chapter Room— Restored View of the Interior
Triforiura of the Choir, South Side
Upper portion of the Eastern Compartment of the Choir ...
Altar Screen and East End of the Choir ...
The Bishop's Throne. The Choir Front
A'iew in the South Aisle ...
Lower Portion at large
Columns of the Nave and Details of Norman Arcade
Columns and Detail of Norman Corbels ...
SedilhiC. South Side of Altar Screen
Chapel of Nine Altars. North End— Externally ...
Arcade — Entrance from South Aisle
__^ South End — Internally ...
^ — . Double Ribbed Window, North End
View into the North Aisle of Choir
Interior, looking South ...
Interior, looking North ...
Entrance to Staircase, North End
. Capitals in the Lower Arcade
Capitals do.
_ Capitals do.
_^_ Clustered Capitals in South Aisle of Choir
The Dean's Kitchen — Groining ...
Entrance Doorway, North Side of Nave ...
Engraver.
J. H. Le Keux.
G. Gladwin.
do.
R. W. Billinas.
G. Gladwin.
G. B. Smith.
G. Winter.
G. Gladwin.
do.
R. W. Billings.
G. Gladwin.
J. Saddler.
G. Winter.
R. W. Billings.
J. Saddler.
J. H. Le Keux.
do.
R. W. Billings.
do.
do.
G. Winter.
G. Gladwin.
J. Saddler.
G. Winter.
do.
do.
do.
do.
G. B. Smith.
* * Directions to the Bixdek.— The View from Framwellgate, Plate 23, to face the Title Page, and
the remainder of the Plates to follow according to their numbers, at the end of the Description.
LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS.
The Royal Library, Folio Proofs and Etchings.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, Large Paper.
His Imperial and Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Large Paper.
FOLIO PROOFS AND ETCHINGS.
The Roval Library.
The Very Rev. the Dean and the Chapter of Durham.
Sir. James Bohn.
Ditto.
Sir. Booth, Bookseller, Duke Street.
QUARTO PROOFS AND ETCHINGS.
William N. Eyton, Esq., Leamington.
QUARTO INDIA PROOFS.
The Lord Bishop of Durham.
The Very Rev. the Dean of Durham.
William' Barnes, Esq., Architect-
Henry N. Eyton, Esq., Birmingham.
Mr. Rodwell, Bookseller.
Rev. Thomas Thurlow, Baynard's Park, Surrey.
LARGE PAPER.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager.
The Grand Duke of Tuscany.
His Grace the Duke of Xorthumberland.
His Grace the Duke of Sutherland.
His Grace the Duke of Bedford.
The Earl of Bradford.
The Earl of Derby.
The Viscount Dungannon.
The Earl of Lonsdale.
The Marquess of Northampton.
Count Davidoff.
Joseph Allison, Esq., Carlisle.
Jlr. George Andrews, Durham.
Edward Blore, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
Miss Currer.
C. R. Cockerell, Esq., R.A., Architect.
Thomas Cundy, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
Rev. Henry Douglas, A.M., Canon of Durham.
Rev. D. Durell, A.M., Canon of Durham.
Peter Dixon, Esq., (Carlisle.
The Very Rev. the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle.
The Lord Bishop of Exeter, Canon of Durham.
The Rev. John Edwards, A.JI., Canon of Durham.
Sir W. B. Folkes, Bart., lUingdon Hall, Lynn.
The Rev. Henry Fielding, A.M.
M. Forster, Esq., M.P.
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Philip Hardwick, Esq., Architect.
A. W. Hutchinson, Esq., Mayor of Durham, 1839-40.
Messrs. Hodgson and Ciraves, Pall Mall.
Archibald JIcLellan, Esq., Cilasgow.
treorge Jloore, Esq., F.R.S., and F.S.A., Architect.
Sir George Mnsgrave, Bart., Eden Hall.
Mr. Thomas Nelson, Carlisle.
John Newman, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
J. B. Nichols, Esq.,F.S.A.
Rev. J. S. Ogle, A. JI., Canon of Durham.
Mr. J. H. Parker, Bookseller, Oxford.
W. F. Pocockj Esq., Architect.
Mr. Rodwell, Bookseller.
Do. Do.
Peter Rothwell, Esq., Sunning Hill, Bolton.
R. E. D. Shafto, Esq., Whitworth Park.
Rev. John Duncombe Shafto, Brancepeth.
Mr. Simms, Bookseller, Manchester.
George Smith, Esq., Architect.
W. Stuart, Esq., Hill Street, Berkeley Square.
Samuel Staples, Esq., Architect.
William Thomas Salvin, Esq., Croxdale.
William Tite, Esq., F.R.S. and F.Ci.S.
Ven. Archdeacon Thorp, Warden of the University.
Rev. George Townsend, A.M., Canon of Durham.
E. Treherne, Esq., St. George's Terrace.
Hon. and Rev. G. V. Wellesley, D.D., Canon of Durham.
Thomas Walker, Esq., Ravenfield Park, Rotherham.
SMALL PAPER.
The Dean and Chapter of Durham.
Robert Abraham, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
Messrs. Ackerman and Co.
J. Adamson, Esq., F.S.A., M.R.S.L., F.R.G.S., Newcastle.
Dr. Alexander, Durham.
George Allen, Esq., Architect.
Mr. George Andrews, Durham.
R. H. Allan, Esq., F.S.A., Durham.
Messrs. Allan and Co., Leadenhall Street.
Henry Ashton, Esq., Architect.
John Church Backhouse, Esq., Darlington.
Henry Bailey, Esq., Architect.
Henry Baker, Esq., Architect.
A. Bartleman, Esq., Tynemouth.
James Barr, Jun., Esq., Architect.
Thomas Bellamy, Esq., Architect.
The Birmingham Library.
Mr. Bird, Bookseller, Cardiff.
Rev. Chris. Bird, A.M., Vicar of ChoUerton.
George Baily, Esq., Architect.
Alfred Bartholomew, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
William Bardwell, Esq., Architect.
James Barry, Esq., Durham.
Charles Barry, Esq., Architect.
John Blyth, Esq., Architect.
John Blackmore, Esq., C.E., Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Ignatius Bonomi, Esq., Architect, Durham.
Messrs. Braithwaite and Co., Patent Wood Carvers.
E. W. Brayley, Esq., London Institution.
The Ven. Archdeacon Brymer.
John Buddie, Esq., Wallsend.
Mr. J. Bugden.
Simeon Bull, Esq., Architect.
James B. Bunning, Esq., Architect.
John Burrell, Esq., Durham.
Robert Burrell, Esq., Durham.
Decimus Burton, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
Mr. R. Cail, Builder, Newcastle.
Mr. Francis Caldcleugh, London.
Cromwell Carpenter, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS.
Rev. John Cartwright, Minor Canon.
Thomas Chawnor, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
W. C. Chaytor, Esq., Uurhata.
Mr. G. A. Cheffins, Architect.
R. D. Cliantrell, Esq,, Architect, Leeds.
Rev. T. Cherallier, B.D., Mathem.itical Professor, Durham.
Francis Clark, Esq., Birmingham.
L. N. Cottingham, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
William Cuhitt, Esq.
Mr. Natlianiel L. De Carle, Carrille Hall.
Thomas Danson, Esq., Durham.
John Dobson, Esq., Architect, Newcastle.
C. Dyer, Esq., Architect, London.
Rev. \V. N. Darnell, B.D , Stanhope.
Messrs. Daukes and Hamilton, Architects, Gloucester.
Mr. Benjamin Davies, London.
John Dunn, Esq., Durham.
Robert Ebbels, Esq., Architect, Wolverhampton.
Rev. Thomas Ebdou, Durham.
H. Lonsdale Elmes, Esq., Architect.
C. Edge, Esq., Architect, Birmingham,
Harvey Eginton, Esq., Architect, Worcester.
The Rev. William Elstob.
Messrs. Evans & Son, Great Queen Street, London.
Benjamin Ferrey, Esq., Architect.
F. M., Esq.
Rev. W. Ford, Cumwhitton.
Thomas Forster, Esq., Architect, Bristol.
W. F , Esq. "
Rev. G. O. Fenn-icke, F.S.A., Birmingham.
Captain Robert Fitz-Roy, R.N.
S. C. Fripp, Esq., Architect, Bristol.
Rev. W. S. Gilly, D.D., Canon of Durham.
Rev. T. Gisborne, A.M., Canon of Durham.
Richard Grainger, Esq., Elswick Hall.
Messrs. J. & B. Green, Architects, Newcastle.
John Green, Esq., Architect, Darlington.
Mr. George Gladwin.
Isaac Harrison, Esq., Architect, Liverpool.
Robert Hawthorn, Esq., C.E., Newcastle.
John Henderson, Esq., Durham.
William Henderson, Esq., Durham.
William Henshaw, Esq., Durham.
Samuel Hemming, Esq., Architect, Birmingham.
D. R. Hill, Esq., Architect, Birmingham.
M. D. Hill, Esq., Q.C., London.
A. J. Hiscocks, Esq., Architect.
Robert Hoggett, Esq., jMayor of Durham.
Professor Hosking, F.S.A., King's College, London.
Francis Humble, Esq., Durham.
Mr Edward P. Humble, Durham.
R. C. Hussey, Esq., Architect, Birmingham.
R. Hutchinson, Esq., Durham.
Edward TAnson, Esq., Architect.
William S. Inman, Esq., Architect.
Rev. H. Jenkvns, D.D., Canon of Durham.
Thomas Johnson, Esq., Architect, Lichfield.
George Legg, Esq., Architect.
William Leigh, Esq., Little Aston Hall, Lichfield.
Thomas Little, Esq., .\rchitect.
The Literary and Philos. Society, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Mr. Lyon, Bookseller, Birmingham.
J. H. Le Keux, Esq.
George Maliphant, Esq., Architect.
Francis Mewburn, Esq., Darlington.
Michael Meredith, Esq., Architect.
G. P. Manners, Esq., Architect, Bath.
Thomas Marsden, Esq., Shincliffe.
Sir Charles M. L. Monck, Belsay Castle.
Mr. John Moor, Verger of the Cathedral.
John Morice, Esq., F.S.A.
Mr. Thomas Moore, Architect, Sunderland.
Robert Nicholson, Esq., C.E , Newcastle.
Rev. George Ornsby, Sedgefield.
iMr. J. H. Parker, Bookseller, O.\ford.
G. Parkinson, Esq.. Ushaw College.
Mr. J. L. Pearson, London,
John Pinch, Esq., Architect, Bath.
J. Plevins, Esq., Architect, Birmingham.
R. S. Pope, Esq., Architect, Bristol.
George Porter, Esq., Architect, Bermoudsey.
Thomas Pratt, Esq., Architect, Sunderland.
Rev. James Prince Lee, Birmingham.
Rev. James Raine, M.A., Durham.
Rev. John Raine, Bljth, Notts.
•S. Rowlandson, Esq., Durham.
C. J. Richardson, Esq., Architect.
Mr, Robert Robsou, Plasterer, Newcastle.
Mr. Rodwell, Bookseller.
Do., do.
Mr. Robert Robson, Alderman of Durham.
William Rogers, Esq., Architect.
iMr. George Reed, Bookseller, Sunderland.
Mr. John Saddler.
James Savage, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
Edmund Sharp, Esq., Architect, Lancaster.
Edward .Shipperdson, Esq., Durham.
George Shaw, Esq., JI.R.C.S., Durham.
Rev. William T. Shields, Newcastle.
Mr. John Shields, Durham.
A. .Salvin, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
Henry H. Seward, Esq., Architect.
J. J. Scoles, Esq., Architect.
Henry Senhouse, Esq., Nether Hall.
Mr. Setchell, Bokselfer.
G. G. Scott, Esq,, Architect.
Sir R. Smirke, R A., Architect.
Sydney Smirke, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
The Rev. Sir Ed%vard Bowyer Smith, D.D., Bart.
Charles H. Smith, Esq.
Mr. G. B. Smith.
The Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-on-Tyne.
H. J. Spearman, Esq., Newton Hall.
John .Sumner, Esq.
Mr. John Seeley, London.
Thomas Sopwith, F.G.S., Newcastle.
Mr. Spencer, Carlisle.
Rev. E. W. Stillingfleet.
Mr. Strong, Bookseller, Bristol.
Mr. Matthew Thompson, Durham.
Mr. Robert Thwaites, Elvet Bridge, Durham.
Mr. William Trueman, Durham.
G. L. Taylor, Esq., F.S.A., Architect.
S. .S. Teulon, Esq., Architect.
Ithiel Town, Esq., Architect, Newhaven, U.S.
C. Underwood, Esq., Architect, Bristol.
The Vicar of Newcastle, the Rev. R. C. Coxe, M.A.
Rev. R. Waldy, Afpuddle, Dorset.
Rev. John Ward, Great Bedwyn, Wilts.
J. Ward, Esq., Durham.
Thomas L. Walker, Esq., Architect.
Mr. George Walker, jun., Percy Street, Newcastle.
R. Wallace, Esq., F.S.A. , Architect.
R. Williams, Esq., M.P.
Mr. John Wardle, Clayton Street, Newcastle.
Professor Willis, C'ambridge.
Wheler, Esq., Birmingham.
General Alexander Wilson, St. Petersburgh.
Samuel Ware, Esq., F.S.A.
The Rev. C. T. Whitley, Senior Proctor, Durham.
Mr. George Winter.
Rev. John Young, D.D., Houghton-le-Spring.
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT
DURHAM CATHEDRAL
Unlike the early History of many Cathedrals, whose origin is only trace-
able through the often-magnified tales of tradition, the foundation of the estab-
lishment now under notice is, excepting by accounts bordering too much upon
the marvellous, placed beyond doubt, as it depends entirely upon the life of its
patron Saint, Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, from a.d. 615 to 688, who, find-
ing his health failing, retired in solitude to one of the Fame Islands, where he
died on the 20th of March, 688. Contrary to his wish of being buried in front
of his Oratory at Fame, the Abbot, Herefrid, prevailed on Cuthbert to allow
his body to be buried in the Cathedral at Lindisfarne. The condition of his
consent was, that " his body should be buried within their Church, in order
that they might have the opportunity of visiting his grave at pleasure, and have
the power of excluding strangers whenever it seemed good.'" At the same
time he made the request, to which Durham and its endowments exclusively
owe their origin : " Know and remember that, if necessity shall ever compel
you out of two misfortunes to chose one, I had much rather that you would dig
up my bones, and taking them with you, sojourn where God shall provide, than
that you should on any account consent to the iniquity of Schismatics, and put
your necks under their yoke."^ He was buried in a stone coffin, and remained
there for eleven years, when, from a wish to elevate his bones above-ground to
receive proper veneration, the coffin was examined and he was found entire. (?)
' Rame's St. Cuthbert, p. 31. ^ Ibid, pp. 31-2.
2 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
The Monks do not seem to have paid implicit attention to Cuthbert's re-
quest, for upon the first inroad of the Danes, on June 7, 793, they fled preci-
pitately, leaving the Saint behind. Returning some time after, they "were
overjoyed to find that, although stripped of every other valuable, it still pos-
sessed the treasure for which they were most afraid — the incorruptible body of
their Saint — which had been left undisturbed by their foes.'"
The See of Lindisfarne, established by Oswald, King of Northumberland,
G35, remained until the Danes compelled the jSIonks to seek safety by flio-ht in
875, and they embarked for Ireland, from the Derwent, in Cumberland, when,
it is hinted, from the intervention of the Saint, whom they carried with them,
a tremendous storm arose and compelled a retrograde movement.
Their first settlement after this was at Craike, near York, in 882. This
place was given by King Elfrid, to Cuthbert, upon his appointment to the See
of Lindisfarne, and here the Saint founded the Monaster}^ to which the Monks
retired. Here they did not remain long, for "becoming politicians,"^ their Abbot,
Eathred, had a convenient dream, in which Cuthbert appeared and commanded
him to go to the Danish army (then established in the North), who were to
point out Guthred, the son of Ilardacnut, a Danish General, for the purpose
of being enthroned as King of Northumberland. Guthred, who had been
sold as a slave, was found in servitude at Whittingham, and crowned at Tyne-
mouth shortly afterwards. "By this barefaced stratagem," says Raine, "the
Monks gained to themselves and their successors a much firmer footing in
Northumberland than had previously been possessed by their Church;"^ for by
raising him to the throne they expected his gratitude, and it was not long before
they tested it. Under his patronage the establishment was removed to Ches-
ter-le-Street, in 883, and there a Cathedral was built of wood, and munificently
endowed. Not content with this, the Abbot manufactured another dream in
which St. Cuthbert commanded him to go to the Monarch, and "tell him to give
to me and those who minister in my Church, the whole of the land between the
Wear and the Tine, for a perpetual possession. Command him, moreover, to
make my Church a sure refuge for fugitives, that every one, for whatever rea-
' Raine, p. 40. — The Danes evidently knew not the imagined value of his bodv, and fancied they
had robbed the Church of all its valuables.
- Raine, p. 47. 3 Raine, p. 47.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 6
son he may flee to my body, may enjoy inviolable protection for thirty-seven
days." This mandate was obeyed by Guthred, confirmed by King Alfred, and
" the two bestowed upon the Saint other privileges and immunities, which even-
tually converted the patrimony of St. Cuthbert into a County Palatine, and ex-
alted its Bishops to the high estate of temporal Princes, in few respects amenable
to the laws of the land, or inferior to the Kings under whom they lived.'"
In the year 995, owing to another incursion of the Danes, Chester-le- Street
was abandoned and Ripon occupied until the storm had passed, but the Bishop
and Clergy, when returning home, rested on their way at Durham, and finding
the place more suitable for their purpose, stopped there. " No one can ar-
raign their taste or discretion in coming to this determination, for the apes of
the hill which they destined for their Cathedral must have appeared formed as
it were by nature for that specific purpose ; and the deep and well watered
ravine by which it was almost entirely surrounded must have held out all the
advantages of cleanliness and security."'^ This good common-sense reasoning
differs materially from the IMonkish accounts of the affair, one of which states
that having brought the body of Cuthbert as far as Wardelaw, somewhere East
of Durham, on a sudden, by a " weightie miracle," the vehicle containing it
became fixed so that the whole Diocese could not move it, " by which they
perceived so much of St. Cuthbert's minde that he would not again be carried
to Chester."^ After three days' fasting, the Saint revealed to Eadmer, "a
devout Monk," that Dunholme was his place of perpetual rest ; and then two
or three could draw the cart.
But although the name was revealed to the Monks, its locality was not, and
they were in great tribulation and suspense until a female was heard inquiring
of another whither her cow had strayed : her reply was " down in Dunholme,"
and they at once found out the place.*
Two writers consider that it was not to Chester-le-Street, but to Lindisfarne
that the Monks were returning, and ground their opinion upon the fact of
Wardelaw being considerably East of Chester-le-Street, and from the probable
1 Raine, p. 47. ^ Raine, p. 54. ^ Hegge, p. 36.
* This story accounts for the cow and milkmaids sculptured in a niche in the N. W. angle of the
Nine Altars, but all the Historians of Durham consider that they were placed there by Bishop
Flambard as emblematical of the wealth of the Church, rather than to commemorate any real occur-
rence. The present cow was carved during Wyatt's alterations, but not in imitation of the original.
4 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
state of its wooden church, which from the lapse of time must have been com-
pletely dilapidated. Be this as it may, all are agreed as to the cow story, and
Hegge adds in his quaint style, " Now concerning the vulgar fable of the dun
cow and the milk maid that directed them to Dunholm : I finde nothino- in the
Histories of this Church, who would not leave out anything that might concerne
St. Cuthbert by way of miracle."
According to Hegge's account, " the topographic of Dunholm at that time
was, that it was more beholden to nature for fortification than fertilitie, where
thick woods both hindered the stars from viewing the earth, and the earth from
the prospect of heaven. Here the Monks, with extemporarie devotion, made
with boughs and branches of trees rather an arbour than a church, to place
St. Cuthbert in." It has been conjectured that the site of this Church of
Boughs is that of St. Mary-le-^Bow, in the Bailey, at the East end of the Ca-
thedral,' and that it derived the name from this circumstance ; but the Author
of St. Cuthbert rejects it as fabulous, and considers that the adjunct of Le-Bow
was derived from there having' formerly been a roadwav under its Tower.
This Church of boughs was soon after replaced by a more substantial one of
wood, where St. Cuthbert rested three years, until Aldwinus, the last Bishop of
Chester-le-Street and first of Durham, "anno 990, had raised up no small building
of stone work for his Cathedrall, where all the people between Coqued and Teese
were at worke 3 yeares ; and were paid for their pains with expectation of trea-
sure in heaven : a very cheap way to pay workmen for their wages."* Upon its
completion, St. Cuthbert's " restless bodie" was inshrined with much pomp.
Until the year 1069 the Northmen had set the Norman Conqueror at
defiance, but he then advanced as far as York, threatening to lay the country
waste, and the Clergy took flight to Lindisfarne, taking with them the body of
St. Cuthbert. After the troubles had ceased they returned in 1070.
Bishop William Carileph, 1083, caused the expulsion of the secular Clergy,
and introduced a Prior and ISIonks of the Benedictine order from the monas-
teries of Wearmouth and Jarrow. " All this while the Church was but growing
to her acme and bight of her glorie, which she obtained under Carilef ; who
thought that the Church that Aldwin built was too little for so great a saint ;
therefore in the 100th year after it was built it was plukt down, and the foun-
' Portion of this Church (the south side) is represented in Plate 23.
- Hegge, p. 37.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
dations of a more ample Church layd ;" Malcomus, King of Scotland, the
Bishop, and Prior Turgot laying the three first stones, Aug. 11, 1093. " This
reverend aged Abby, advanced upon the shoulders of a mountainous Atlas, is
so envyroned again with hilles, that he that hath seen the situation of this city,
hath seen the mapp of Sion, and may save a journey to the Holy Land.'"
Flambard, who succeeded to the See in 1099, "vigorously promoted that
excellent work which his predecessor had begun, and carried up the Church
from the foundation almost to the roof."^ Carileph had agreed with the Monks
that while he was constructing the Church they should build the Abbey, but
upon his death they voluntarily devoted themselves entirely to the Cathedral,
and up to the appointment of Flambard had completed the Choir, its Aisles,
and the Transept. Before the death of this Bishop (1129), the Nave was
completed (except the vaulting), and the Aisles to it carried up. It appears
that the Nave was originally ceiled with wood, although evidently intended
(from the great triple columns of the clustered piers, and the Norman brackets
between them), to be groined. If we are not much mistaken, there is on
all the clustered capitals, the first stone of an enriched cross-rib or arch of
a bolder character than Melsonby's. This appears to be the commencement
of the Norman vaulting, for it cannot be supposed that the columns would have
been carried up or the Norman flying buttresses erected, had they not been
intended to counteract some extraordinary pressure tending to thrust the walls
outward. There is one part, and only one, to warrant the supposition of a stone
vaulting not having been originally intended, and that is the Clere-story of the
West side of the North Transept, where there is a regular series of openings
of equal height to their semi-circular arches. These openings opposite the
Clere-story windows are wider than the others, and their arches consequently
higher (see Plate 14). Some are blocked up by Prior Melsonby's groin-
ing. This Clere-story is unlike all the others, which were undoubtedly built
for stone vaultings, and possibly may have been the first portion finished, sup-
posing the original idea was to have had a flat wooden ceiling ; but it is more
probable that it was the last portion, when the builders had for the time given
up the vaulting on account of expense, and adopted the wood covering, which
remained until Melsonby's time.
' Hegge, p. 43. ' Sanderson, p. 62.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
The works, it is said, were continued with more or less activity according to
the state of the altar-offerings and receipts of burial-fees ; which, with the ever-
fruitful source of indulgences, were the great means by which such extensive
and costly edifices were raised. " Saint Cuthbert was the magnet of attraction,
and we could enumerate instances of men divesting themselves of no small por-
tion of their worldly substance for the privilege of being buried near his in-
corruntible remains.'"
t.
In order to bring our remarks upon the buildings into the proposed limits,
and render the various portions clear, we have adopted the following table of
dates and style : —
1093-1095
1095-1099
1104
1099-1128
1129-1333
1133-1140
1153-1154
1233-1244
1235
1241-1249
1258-1274
1250-1300
1289
1341-1374
1374
Carileph
The Monks . .
Flambard
The Monks . .
Bishop Rufus
Pudsey
Prior Melsonby
Poore . .
Farnham
Pr. Dertington
Luceby, Sacrist
Prior Houton
Prior Forcer. .
Norman
Transition
Early English
Perpendicular
Early EngUsh
Decorated . .
PARTS OF TUE BUILDING.
The foundation stones laid August 11th.
After his death, in 1095,
Built the Choir, with its Aisles, and tlie Transept.
August 29, St. Cuthbert removed into the Shrine.
Finished the Nave to the vaulting, and the walls of
the Aisles ; also the builder of Framwellgate Bridge,
Durham.
Roofed the Nave and vaulted the Aisles.
The Chapter House.
The North and South Doorways of the Nave.
The Galilee. Also built Elvet Bridge, in Durham.
He cleared the ground on the North Side of the
Cathedral, taking away all the buildings between
it and the Castle, and rendered it a beautiful level,
calling it the Place or Green, now the Palace Green.
The Groining of the Nave and South Transept. Car-
ter says " under the auspices of Bishop Poore."
The Chapel of the Nine Altars, completed about 1275
The lantern of the Central Tower. "1 Qy. Western } —
The belfry above do. J See description.
The Revestry at the south-west angle of the Choir.
Groined the Choir in continuation of the Nine Altars.
The Great IVest Window of the Nave.
The North Transept Window restored by Prior Cas-
tell, 1494, 1519.
' Raine's Guide, p. 9.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
1368-1370
1345-1381
1380
1368
1388-1405
1388-1405
1406-1437
Hatfield
Lord Neville
Skirlaw
1416-1445
Card. Langley
Pr.Wessington
Perpendicular
PARIS OP THE BUILDING.
The Prior's, now the Dean's kitchen.
The Bishop's Throne.
The Altar Screen. He also spent £200. upon a new
Tomb for St. Cuthbert in 1372.
The Bishop's Exchequer, on the Palace Green.
The Cloisters commenced. Bishop Skirlaw continued
building them. He gave £200., and bequeathed
£400. to complete the work.
The Dormitory ,^ towards which he gave and left 430
marks, equal to £286. 13s. 4d.
Built Shincliffe Bridge 1 mUe S.E. of Durham.
Repaired and altered the Galilee. — See description.
Finished the Cloisters at a cost of £238. 18s. 7d.
The annual account of the expenses (1408-1419) is
preserved in the Dean and Chapter Records.
Founded two Schools on the Palace Green, one for
Grammar and the other for Music.
This Prior expended vast sums of money in repairing
the Church, and the Abbey buildings. The roll of
his expenses amounting to £7881. 8s. 3id. is pre-
served, and portions of it have been already pub-
lished in Raine's St. Cuthbert, from which the
following items are extracted : —
The Nine Altars. " Repairing eleven lower windows,
in stone, iron, and glass, £120."
Repairing sis upper windows, £9. 9s.
Building the Exchequer of the Sacrist, £60.
Making desks in the Choir before the low stalls, £20.
Repairing the great Belfry after it was burnt, in work
above and below, £233. 6s. 8d.
For making a window near the Clock, 71s. lid.
(The lower window in the West side of the Transept) .
For making the windows above the Choir, £27. 16s.
Repairing the Vault (groining) of Nave, £91. Os. 6d.
For building and repairing the Altars of St. John
the Baptist, St. Katherine, St. Gregory, St. John
the Evangelist, and St. Faith.. £71. 2s. 4d.
For making divers pairs of Organs, £26. 13s. 4d.
New work fScreenJ at the door of the Choir, £69. 4s.
In the accounts of St. Cuthbert's Shrine Keeper for 1400, \i the following—" Paid a subsidy to the Donnitoo', 203."
8
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
PARTS OF THE BUILDING.
1 4 1 6 - 1 445 Pr. Wessington
1437
1494-
1519
1518
1620
1632
1669
1684
1650-
1690
16C0-
1661
Perpendicular
Bishop Neville
Prior Castell
Dean Hunt
Bishop Cosin
Dean Sudbuiv
Dean Barwick
Debased
For roofing the South part of the Nave, with a pay-
ment to the plumber for his labour, £110.
Buildings and repairs in the Church, made by the
Sacrist in virtue of his office, £386. 15s.
Making a window on the South side of the Nave oppo-
site the tomb of the Lord Nevjdl, £30. (This is the
semicircular headed window near the great Tower).
For two windoti's in the Library, and repairing the
roof, the desks, two new doors, and re-binding the
books, £90. 1 6s. (This is the room above the ancient
Parlour, now used as the Registry, between the
Chapter House and the Transept.)
For wood, and iron for the studies or carols (desks)
of the Monks in the Cloister, £33.
Carpenter's work at the (book) chests, and studies of
the Novices in the Cloister, and for glaziers' work,
£13. 15s.
Repairing the washing troughs, with chests for towels,
£26. 5s.
The repair of the Infirmary, £400.
Building & repairing the Pnor's7/a//«,£419. 10s. 3id.
Repairing the Southern chamber of the Hostel, called
the King's Chamber, with new upper windows in the
Hall, £118. 17s. 9d.
Buildings and repairs in the office of the Shrine
Keeper, £30. 5s. 4id.
The Bishop's Exchequer on the Palace Green.
The College Gateway.
Wainscotted the Frater House with " fine carved and
imbossed work."
The Font in the Nave.
The Clock in the South Transept.
The Library on the College Green, cost building
£800., books £2000. ; besides 20 marks annually
for the Librarian.
Built the present Library.
The Stalls of the Choir, by James Clement, Architect.
Repaired the Cathedral, and erected the Grammar
School. The debased tracery of all the North Aisle
windows are of this period.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. y
DESCniPTION OF THE PLAN.
It is no easy matter to give a terra conveying an adequate idea of tlie pro-
portions or apparent size of the Cathedral, for though less in height and width
than others, its Nave, in particular, has a grandeur of effect, derived from the
simplicity and size of its various members, not surpassed, if equalled by any ;
and King James was not very far from giving a proper description, when he
oflfered to wrestle it against any other in the Kingdom.
If we except the addition of the Galilee and Chapel of the Nine Altars, its
plan differs in nothing from the Norman design ; and of that style of architec-
ture it presents the most perfect and gigantic specimen in existence. As the
plan is completely illustrated, and measurements of the various parts are given
in Plates 3 and 4, the principal measurements and names being repeated on
Plate 5, we shall refrain from repetition, merely mentioning the parts not par-
ticularly referred to, and pointing out those peculiarities of design, which are
only to be detected in the building by the most careful examination.
There is not the slio-htest variation in the lines of the Nave and Choir, as is
the case with many other large Churches ; the latter part being sometimes in-
clined more to the Eastward than the Nave, and said by the symbolists to be
typical of our Saviour leaning his head on the cross. This regularity, for the
different parts are all parallel or at right angles, extends even to the conventual
buildings, which are all exactly at the same angle as the Cathedral. '
The clustered columns of the Norman part have their plans upon a block of
seven feet square (varying sometimes half an inch), and the shafts added on
each of its four sides are founded upon a sub-division of the square into four
parts of twenty-one inches. This may readily be seen in Plate 59, A. B. C.
beino- the columns at the West end of the Nave. Thus the Pier C. has merely
three shafts added to each side, the South side M. in the South Aisle being
only six feet, in order to agree with the reduced size of that portion. The
Pier marked B. supporting an angle of the Western Tower, has five columns
on the East and West sides, and three on the North and South. The great
Tower Piers {Plate 60, C.) are a repetition of the last, with the addition to
' The North and South walls of the Galilee, built subsequently to the Chapel, are exceptions to
this. There is also another exception in the semicirciilar rib over the columns x and w, in Plate 4,
■which arises from the Pier w being 8 inches more from the Transept wall than x.
10
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
those on the South side of parts marked a. c, and in the Plan {Plate 4) 24 and
25 ; those on the North side are also added to in width, as a. b. c, the in-
crease being marked 6 on the ground plan.
In order to gain width under the great Tower, the shafts in the Nave and
Choir are flattened : thus, while those of the Western Towers project 3 feet 4
inches into the Nave, and reduce its width to 25 feet 8 inches, the shafts of the
great Tower (equal in number) only project 2 feet 10^ inches each, and the
width between is 26 feet 7 inches. The latter piers are the largest, but not
the longest in the Cathedral, for the pier against the Bishop's Throne and the
opposite one have the advantage by 9^ inches. The quantity of ground occu-
pied by the bases of the principal piers is as follows : —
Sq. feet. Indies.
The North Piers of the Tower (each) ... ... 166 0
The South Piers of the Tower ...
The Pier against the Bishop's Throne
The Piers of the Western Tower
The Clustered Piers of the Nave
The Single Columns of the Nave
Between these single columns of the Nave the space is 32 feet 4 inches, and
of the Choir 32 feet 8 inches. The block of the piers, in the latter portion,
marked i/ and z (Plate 4), is moved back North and South two inches,' but
though the Choir is wider than the Nave, its Aisles are considerably narrower,
and contract the Eastern limb internally 3 feet 1 1 inches. The principal sin-
gularity in the Plan is the unequal width of the various compartments, and it is
impossible to account for these extraordinary variations unless they arose from a
bad foundation. The compartment under the Western Towers was necessarily
defined by their width, and the narrow one East of the great Tower was also
determined by the width of the Aisle to the Transept,^ but why all the other
161
6
160
0
157
0
116
0
63
8
' Other instances of this removal occur in the Transepts. In the South Transept (see Plate 4,
v.), the distances between the clustered Pier to the column, on each side, are 8 feet and 7 feet 4i
inches, leaving the front shaft in the Transept 3f inches out of the centre ; but in the Aisles, as
shewn by the equal measurements, 13 feet 2i inches, the shafts are shifted exactly to the centre.
The plan of this column, with its inequalities, is given at B. (Plate 60.) In the North Transept these
differences are less, but the same rule applies.
' Durham, like many great Northern Churches, has only one Aisle to its Transept, on the East side.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. H
compartments should be unequal, is more than we can tell. It is a singular fact
(taking either the North or South sides), that there are not two of the same
width, and the consequences of this are evident all over the building, as will be
hereafter shewn. , , , ^ c i * «
With recrard to the ground plan {Plates 3 and 4), the references from 1 to 6
are elsewhere described as staircases-7 refers to steps from the Choir to the
South Aisle, 8 to others down to the North Aisle-9 and 10 are steps de-
scending to the "Nine Altars," which is shut off from general access by
screens (of debased Gothic), with doors in their centres. These steps and
doors, formerly against the eastern columns, were removed when the arcade
columns within the eastern compartment were restored, and the ground about
them excavated to the level of the Nine Altars a few years back. 21 in the
Nave is the Font with a tall canopy of debased Gothic, partially shewn in Plate
42 It is not in its original state, for an account of 1G34 states that it had an
iron railing two yards high about it, and that the " cover opens like a four-
quartered globe, and the story is that of St. John baptizing our Saviour, and
the four Evangelists curiously done and richly painted within the globe all
about so artificially wrought and carvd with such variety of joyner s work as
makes all the beholders thereof to admire.'" 22 is a Cross of blue marble,
placed as a boundary for females, for until the Reformation none were allowed to
pass it Eastward. This Cross is also represented in Plate 41, but the writing
on it is only in the print. 27, an Almery in the South Transept ; 28, 29, and
30 are Almeries belonging to the Altars of the Nine Altars. Near the ground,
and worked into the column at 30, is a sculptured bracket, of earlier date than
the Chapel itself. 31, Pier at the South end, with detached columns simdar to
those at the East end. The corresponding Pier should have been at the North
end at 32, but the introduction of the North window changed the design, and
the buttress at 33 was consequently cut short. 36 and 37 in the Nave are
monuments to the Nevilles, sadly mutilated by the Scotch who, during the
civil wars, visited Durham for the purpose of catching and punishing Dean
Bancanquall (1639, 1645) as the Author of King Charles's dedaration but he
having fled they revenged themselves on the monuments. «- - f -"u
Plate 48, with the canopy over the small statues to a larger scale. 38. Monu-
> Raine's Guide, p. 15.
12
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
ment to the Rev. James Britton, formerly Master of the Grammar School.
39, statue, by Chantrey, of Bishop Barrington, in the South Transept.
Since this ground plan was published two others have been added ; first,
a detached marble Statue, by Gibson, to Bishop Van Mildert, in the North end
of the Nine Altars, and last, in the North Transept, a cumbrous marble Tomb,
of Italian style and workmanship, to Mr. M. Woodifield, formerly Steward
to the Dean and Chapter, who is buried in Crossgate Church-yard, on the
west side of the river, and to this place we trust it will be ultimately removed.
Had there been nothing to offend the eye in its design as connected with the
architecture round it, there is something very odd in the fact of such a monu-
ment occupying a more important position and double the space on the Cathedral
floor than the commemoration of the last Count Palatine, and the greatest
benefactor Durham has had in modern times, in short, the Founder of its
University, Bishop Van Mildert.
C. on Plate 3, is the North Aisle of the Nave, D. the South Aisle. H.
Aisle of the North Transept, now the Consistory Court, separated from the
Choir Aisle by a wall with a parapet of tracery, evidently not in its original
place. K. Aisle of the South Transept, appropriated to the Vergers. Here
are preserved the old Closets, formerly in the great Vestry, and in these (until
removed to the Library) were kept five ancient copes preserved from the Re-
formation. Like the North side, it is separated by a wall at r from the South
Aisle of the Choir, which has a pierced and embattled parapet of the decorated
character, raised higher than originally by modern walling. N. is the North
and O. the South Aisle of the Choir.
The floor of the interior is much about its original level beino- only raised
about four or five inches. When the present pavement was laid down, about
seventy years ago, the old tomb-stones were taken up, and in the zeal for keep-
ing the diamond pattern regular nearly all were replaced between the piers,
so that the body is now in one place and the epitaph in another. The Nave,
Transept, and Aisles of the Choir are all on the same level, except the Eastern
compartment of the latter, which, with the Nine Altars, is 2 feet 8 inches lower.
The Choir at the Altar Screen and Shrine is raised by six steps at different parts,
three feet two inches higher than the Nave. Externally on the North side the
1 The Eastern portion of this is raised twenty inches by two steps (,see Plate 4, 13).
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 13
surface is very much above its original level, owing to its having been used for a
long period as a burial ground,' and the plinth of the arcade was in consequence
completely hidden, but the whole of the ground against the Nave has recently
been excavated, and that part much improved in consequence, both as respects
appearance and the removal of damp. The Nave was originally entered by an
ascent, instead of a descent of twenty inches as at present. The recent opening
of the ground for clearing the plinth of this portion exposed the foundations of
the ancient porch which projected out Northward 4ft. Gin. more than it now does.
The level of the plinth of the Choir and East side of the Transept is 25
inches below that of the Nave, and was made thus in consequence of the gra-
dual declination of the ground Eastward.
ALTEEATIONS AND REPAIRS.
The exterior, although much decayed, remained in its original state until 1775,
when a general repair was commenced, and continued until 1795, under the direc-
tion of James Wyatt, architect, including the Western Towers, the whole North
side of the Church, and the East end of the Nine Altars. It was a chiselling
process, removing about four inches of masonry from the whole surface of the
parts mentioned, which amounted to full eleven hundred tons weight, instead of
restoring the decayed portions as has recently been done on the South side of
the Choir. This reparation might have been properly done for half the sum
expended, for it amounted to nearly £30,000. In order to understand the
alterations made by Wyatt, we must refer the reader to the North Eleva-
tion in Browne Willis's Cathedrals, and also to John Carter's Elevation, pub-
lished by the Society of Antiquaries, as both have it before the alterations.
The first material addition was the Gothic parapet and pinnacles to the Western
Towers with Italian mouldings. Then came the four great stone pinnacles of the
Nine Altars ; the two at the North end did not exist previously, and those of the
South were square and covered with zig-zag lead work of the time, totally unlike
' Both on this side, and in the Monks' burial ground, large weU filled subterranean Charnel
Houses exist.
14 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
their successors. The buttresses of the East end were also miserably defaced,
and their original character utterly destroyed, as for instance, in the central
ones now chiselled perfectly plain, there were colossal heads' of Rufus and
Carileph, the founders of the building. They were under pedimented niches
on the level of the base of the great circular window. In the Transept, the
arcade, pediment and turrets were most unwarrantably and tastelessly altered,
and statues in the round panels of Priors Forcer and Castell, the builder and
restorer of the great window, were replaced by figures of Bishop Pudsey
and a Prior, which are very justly said in the Cathedral Guide, to bear a
strong resemblance to Dutch burgomasters. The last alteration we shall notice
here was the destruction of the room or porch over the North doorway, and
the substitution of the present barbarous pediment and pinnacles in its place.
This room was (under the Popish regime) inhabited by men who watched
constantly to admit all who fled for sanctuary, and there are steps from it
(in the wall) to the Triforium, whence one went to the " Galiley Steeple" and
tolled a bell, signifying to the Convent that some person had been admitted.
Queen Elizabeth's coat of arms, in stone, which blocked up the window in front,
is now preserved in the Nine Altars.
So complete was the new facing, that three corbel heads in the Arcade of
the Eastern compartment of the Choir {see Plate 60.), was all that escaped.
Fortunately there is much material left on the South side for a correct restora-
tion of the North, as for instance, the basement arcade, of which a compart-
ment is represented in Plate 6U. Then there are authorities for the Triforium
and Clere-story windows, but all traces of the Aisle windows, of the corbel
tables and parapets, are irretrievably lost.
The last extraordinary repair was that of the great Tower between 1809 and
1812, by Atkinson (the Architect of Abbotsford). Although the restoration
of this part was better than the previous repair, it is very far from correct. The
upper stage, and the enriched parapet of the lantern, were restored with
Roman cement, and the intention was to plaster the whole, but chiselling was
found to be cheaper, and the lower half was consequently pared down. Pre-
vious to this repair, there were 32 statues in the niches of the buttresses, some
of which (minus their noses) are preserved in the Shrine {see Plate 28) : ex-
' One of these is preserved in the Shrine.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 15
ccpting a few done in cement on the East side, the niches are now vacant.
The unpleasant effect produced by the cement or rather its nasty colour, is to
disconnect the unity of design formerly possessed by the Tower, and any casual
observer would pronounce the upper stage to be an excrescence, instead of
adding grandeur to the elevation as it formerly did ; however, there is conso-
lation in knowing that the cement is rapidly decaying, and that in a few years
proper restoration will be necessary.
The South side has suffered comparatively little from modern innovation,
and excepting the Nave, now in a very dilapidated condition, has been very
fairly restored. The South end of the Nine Altars,' the Clere-story of the
Choir, and the whole surface of the Transept were restored, under the direction
of Ignatius Bonomi, Architect, within a few years ; and recently (in 1842) the
Aisle of the Choir, with its decorated windows, has been restored. We should
have preferred seeing the Norman windows rebuilt, but deficiency of light is
urged as an excuse, and perhaps justly.
Having stated what James Wyatt did do with the exterior, we now come to
what he would have done with the interior had not a most furious clamour, led
on by John Carter, the antiquary, stopped his innovations. The intended and
commenced destruction of the Galilee is elsewhere mentioned. The Bishop's
Throne and Altar Screen were to have been taken down, mixed together, and
made up into a new Screen, against the Eastern wall of the Nine Altars. To
accomplish this, the central part of that Chapel was to be filled to the level
of the Choir, and its present beautiful unbroken effect totally destroyed. We
can understand how the latter part of the affair was to be accomplished, but the
mixture of such opposite materials as the Bishop's Throne and the Altar Screen
into a harmonious design, is utterly beyond comprehension.
The sand-stone of the walls is of the same bad quality all through the Cathe-
dral, having so much iron in its composition that it literally rusts away, especially
near the ground. In many parts of the South side of the Nave decay is so deep
that jack-daws build their nests in the holes. There is a peculiarity about the
stone, called by the workmen " stunning," which is the peeling off (within a
1 The gable was completely decayed, and the present decoration is in imitation of a beautiful
Chapel in Gateshead. With regard to the Transept, the Gable-cross and Turrets are not original ;
for the latter were formerly the same height as those of the North Transept.
16 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
few years), from the effect of hammer and chisel, of a layer varying from one
quarter to three eighths of an inch thick. This may be seen upon the columns
of the North door-way, and might be avoided on square sui'faces by sawing ;
it is now, however, of no consequence, as the restorations are effected with
stone of a much superior quality, brought from Gateshead Fell.
AUCHES AND GROINS.
One of the most remarkable features in the Cathedral, and perfectly unique
in the history of ancient Architecture, was the construction of the vaulting of
the Nave and South Transept by Prior Thomas Melsonby, in the Norman
style, between 1233 and 1244, at a period when that known as early English had
completely superseded it. We have many specimens of subsequent vaulting to
Norman walls, for instance, the Nave at Gloucester, at Worcester, at Tewkes-
bury ; but all are in the style of the time, pointed arches, and early English
detail, as is the case in the Choir of Durham itself The principal difference
between Melsonby's groining and that constructed by the Norman Architects
is, that the work of the latter (the Aisles throughout the Cathedral and the
North Transept) consists of plain mouldings, while that of the former has the
zig-zag prevailing throughout.
In the peculiarities of the Arches there is much which appears capricious and
unaccountable, with a great deal of singularity that might, by a little arrange-
ment, have been totally avoided. Owing to the inequalities of the compartments
of the Nave, many of the arches, to avoid running into the string course of the
Triforium, are segments considerably less than a semi-circle, and have very
much the appearance of being thrust out ; this is particularly the case with
the arches of the Western Towers {Plate 10). Several of the Triforium arches
are also very singular from the same cause, but here the arch of the outer zig-
zag takes one form, and the inner another. For instance, in the Western com-
partment (lettered d, Plate 10) the internal arch is a semi-circle and the exte-
rior considerably less ; for if it had been of the same rise the ornament would
have cut into the string of the Clere-story. Some of the curves were from mere
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 17
whim ; for example, the small arch next the great Tower, where there was ample
height for the outer semi-circle {b, Plate 11).
In the transepts {Plate 15) the extreme North and South arches are very
irreo-ular, and appear formed by hand. Those fronting the Aisles of the
Choir are nearly a semi-circle ; the two arches between these are considerably
higher than the half-circle, but they do not partake of the horse-shoe form, their
sides being perpendicular. The arrangement of the Choir Triforium is also
quite unusual. Excepting the third compartment from the Tower, they become
gradually wider eastward ; but instead of having the depressed arch of the
Nave, the columns were shortened in order that the crowns of the semi-circular
arches should be at an equal distance from the Clere-story. Thus as the com-
partments were widened, the columns were made shorter, and the same feeling
was carried into the early English architecture of the Eastern compartment.
The following is a table of their proportions : —
Width. Height of Columns.
The first compartment from the Tower
The second do. do.
The third do. do.
The fourth do. do.
The fifth do do.
The pointed arches of the eastern Triforium have a stiff appearance, from
their centres being below the capitals ; they partake of the curve of the arch
inclosing them, where the height between the capitals and Clere-story was not
sufficient for a two- centred arch with its base line upon the level of the capitals
{see Plates 1 1 and 54). In the Nine Altars (over the arches of the Choir
Aisles), the inclosing arch is dispensed with, and the defect avoided. The
window-arches above these last-mentioned Triforia are very singular in their
curves {see Plate 18). That to the North of the Choir has three openings with
the curves very much depressed, and that to the South is curious from their
inequalities {see Plate 18, m, and Plate 19). Below this, in the Triforium, is
an excellent specimen of the discharging arch. The unequal curves of the
eastern Clere-story windows of the Choir (similar to the last) arise from the
central jamb being at right angles with the plan of the window, while the side
ones are considerably splayed {see Plate 54).
All the four arches attached to the piers of the Nine Altars have some por-
is 12 ft. 9 in. ... 8 ft. 10 in.
13 ft. lOiin. ... 8 ft. 2i in.
13ft. 6 in. ... 8 ft. Oiin.
16ft. Uin. ... 7ft. 3iin.
19 ft. 4i in. ... 7 ft. 01 in.
18
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
tion of their mouldings stilted : these mouldings were made considerably wider
at the crown of the arch than there was space for on the capitals, and the con-
sequence was that some, after taking the curve of the arch, were on a sudden
dropped in a perpendicular direction upon the capitals {see Plates 11, 18,
and QQ). The workmen appear to have commenced cutting the mouldings
from the top, without considering where they would rest, and the result was,
that had many of them been carried down, they would have projected consider-
ably beyond the capitals. The defect is admirably hidden by terminating cor-
bels, represented in Plate 73.
One-half of the groining is indicated on the plan {Plates 3 and 4), and we
begin with the description of the Aisles as the earliest specimen, being coeval
with the construction of the building. The cross ribs or arches connecting the
single columns of the Nave and Aisle are or were semi-circular, and those over
the clustered piers from the Aisle, being narrower, of the horse-shoe form. In
this there is nothing peculiar, but the diagonal ribs, instead of being elliptical,
are formed of the arc of a circle passing through three points, two being at the
foundation on the capitals, and the third at the crown of the vaulting. Several
of these ribs were measured with the same result as to form.
The groining of rubble work was roughly filled into this strange mixture
of curves, and both its under and upper surfaces were plastered, the floors
of the Triforia being perfectly flat. The external arches of the Choir and
Transept Triforia are also of this form (see the Elevations) ; but the most ex-
traordinary specimen of the segmental arch is in the Norman flying buttresses
under the Triforium roof {see Plate 43). After this specimen, we think the
introduction or invention of the "arc boutant" can no longer be given to the
early English style, of which Salisbury Cathedral is so beautiful a specimen.
The groining of the North Transept, coeval with the last, is all serai-circular,
excepting the diagonal ribs of the Northern compartment, which is like the
Aisles. The South Transept, with the addition of the zig-zag on its ribs, is
precisely the same as the North. Next in succession of date is the Nine Al-
tars, which, together with the pointed arch-groining of the Eastern compartment
of the Choir, has the centres of the curves upon the level of the capitals. The
transverse rib at this compartment at the intersection of the groins is curious,
on account of its partaking of the circular form, instead of being, as it usually
is, in the decorated style, perfectly straight {see Plates 54 and 55). The
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 19
oToining of the Choir, constructed immediately after the chapel of the Nine
Altars, has its centres considerably below the capitals, and the same remark
applies to the great cross-arches or ribs of the Nave, the diagonal ribs of which
are all circular, with their centres rather above than below the line of capitals
and brackets. From the walls both of the Nave and Choir being thrust out about
five or six inches, it is difficult to fix the curves exactly ; but, making allow-
ance for this, it appears that the centres are on the same line as the capitals of the
Nine Altars, which are 4 feet 7 inches lower than those of the Nave and Choir.
CAPITALS.
If we except the specimens belonging to the North and South door-ways of
the Nave, there is nothing remarkable in the Norman capitals, excepting some
few variations in the cushions of those in the Aisle arcades ; but the chapel
of the Nine Altars and eastern compartment of the Choir do not yield to any
building we know, in the beauty of their foliated early English capitals and
other sculptured enrichments. The architect of this portion, not content with
achieving thus much, began decorating the cushions of the Norman capitals,
and had several in the Clere-story foliated in a very elaborate manner. All
the Capitals above reach in the Nine Altars are in a beautiful state of preserva-
tion, but many in the arcade have been wantonly mutilated, and more totally
destroyed from the introduction of monuments against the wall, ugly in them-
selves, and totally at variance with the architecture around them. The useless
mutilation of ornament by visitors, for carrying away as relics, has been here
particularly directed against noses, for not one remains on the label heads all
round the arcade, nor on the statues in the Shrine. Several of the capitals
are illustrated in Plates 70, 71, 72, and 73. The twelve specimens in the
three first Plates belong to the arcade, and illustrate the whole series, for
the designs of the remainder are only slight variations. The mouldings of
these are on Plate 20, and there is only one change (represented in Plate
72), where the hollow moulding is decorated with dog-tooth leaves. Plate
73 is one of the clustered capitals in the South Aisle. Underneath its
spiritedly-carved foliage is a very singular decoration— a row of winged beasts
20 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
or birds, with their tails intertwined, and grasping each other's necks, pro-
bably typical of " union is strength." Even this, although at a considerable
height above the ground, has not escaped mutilation. There is another series
of beautiful capitals, brackets, and foliated ornament in the arcade, attached to
the Eastern Norman Pier by the builders of the Nine Altars (see Plate 55).
The foliated trefoil arches above the capitals and the ornamented gables are
very elaborate. They have a series of niches with small figures, and the finial
of one, indicated in Plate 53, has two sitting at table, apparently gambling.
DOOUWAYS.
The doorways (see Plates 3 and 4) are ten in number, and there are eio'ht
others which have been blocked up at various times, but some of the latter were
only entrances to attached buildings.
1 is the Norman doorway on the North side of the Galilee.
2, the original West entrance : although disused as the general communica-
tion after the Galilee was erected, it remained until Cardinal Langley (1406-
1437,) built an Altar within the space of the door, and opened those marked
3 and 4, to the Aisles of the Nave. There is also a small doorway to Langley's
Altar through the arcade, with which he built up the space of the great doorway.
5. Norman doorway and porch (a, Plate 3) on the North side of the Nave,
built by Bishop Pudsey when he erected the Galilee. On this is the ornament
shewn on our title-page, known as the Sanctuary Knocker.
6. On the South side of the Nave (b, Plate 3), also the work of Bishop Pud-
sey, and illustrated by Plates 39 and 40, the first being an interior view looking
into the Cloister ; and the second, portion of the arch, capitals, and columns.
The label (see PI. 39) is ornamented by a series of eleven detached cartouches
or roundels, and the space between each is ornamented with a row of leaves.
Its central ornament or circle at the crown of the arch is filled by a front
face, and the five on each side have alternately a flower and an animal, the lat-
ter in each case with a hind leg in its mouth. The label of the great Western
doorway is (both internally and externally) decorated in a similar manner, but
there are thirteen circles instead of eleven. That of the great North doorway
is cut into a series of eighteen lozenges, each having within it some curious
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 21
piece of sculpture, principally figures, and the columns are similarly decorated,
but owing to the perishable nature of the stone almost all the lower portion is
obliterated, and from the same cause the whole of the external ornament of the
►South door is obliterated, although under cover of the Cloister. A most in-
teresting example of well-preserved and judiciously-repaired iron work (of the
date of the doorway) covers the exterior of this door, ' and the great North
door was, until the last repairs, ornamented in a similar style : it was then
stripped off, but a portion of the design is still visible, from the inequalities of
the painted surface. All the arches of these Norman doorways within the label
are covered with zig-zag ornament.
7. Norman entrance from the Cloisters to the East end of the Nave, en-
graved in Surtees' Durham, and marked c, Plate 4. Externally this is more
variedly enriched than either of the others, having the cable and billet mould-
ings, with the zig-zag almost entirely dispensed with. The columns have un-
fortunately undergone a chiseling.
8. A doorway or passage under the clock (e, Plate 4) into the ancient Par-
lour, now a vestibule to the Chapter House, of modern date.
9. Early English doorway at the South end of the Nine Altars {f, Plate 4).
10. Modern doorway, inserted when the Consistory Court was removed from
the Galilee to the North Transept, in 1796.
The doorways closed up at various periods are as follows : —
1. {d, Plate 4) in the South Transept, a Norman door from the Cloisters.
2. At the North end of the Nine Altars (g). This doorway into the
Chapel is said to have been made to admit the body of Bishop Beck (Patriarch
of Jerusalem) for burial, for, out of reverence to St. Cuthbert, he could not be
carried through the Aisles of the Church. Bishop Beck, who died in 1310,
may have been carried through this door, but it was undoubtedly not built for
that purpose, as, both from its style and masonry, it is evidently part of the
original building of the Chapel, completed between 1235-1275, and the exact
counterpart of another original doorway at the South end.
3. An early English doorway, cut through the Norman Wall of the South
Aisle of the Choir for the great Vestry built previously to 1300.
1 The Western part of this, as shewn in Plate 39, has heen, for no apparent purpose, cut in two.
It is to be hoped that it will speedily be restored, as the door is otherwise complete.
22 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
4. Above this Vestry was another room, entered by a staircase in the sub-
stance of the wall at the doorway marked i, Plate 4. The apartment to which
this door and staircase led was latterly used as a vestry by the Choristers,
and with the lower room remained perfect until 1802, when both were pulled
down, and the stained glass windows destroyed. Upon the site an apparatus
(since removed as inefficient) was constructed for warming the Choir.
5. Doorway {k) to the Sacrist's Exchequer, which formerly occupied the
external angle of the Choir and North Transept. This building, erected by
Prior Wessington, was for some time after the Reformation used as the Song
School ; the date of its removal is not known. In the compartment of the
Aisle east of this is a stone seat for almsmen, the work of Bishop Skirlaw, and
ornamented with quatrefoils inclosing his shield of arms.
G. In the South Aisle of the Choir, marked h. This was the Prior's private
entrance into the Cathedral from the Cemetery.
7 and 8 are recesses within the passages to the Nine Altars staircases, mark-
ed / and m, and appear to have been intended for doorways from the exterior.
KEY HOLES IN THE VAULTING.
There are several of these in various parts, built for the double purpose of venti-
lation and conveying materials into the roof for repairs. They are as follows : —
Diameter.
1. In the vaulting of the Nave at the Western compartment, 3 ft. 7 in-
2. In the North Aisle of the Nave under the N. W. Tower, 5 ft. 6 in,
4. In the groining of the Lantern or Great Tower, ... 5 ft. 11 in.
5. In the central compartment of the Nine Altars, ... ... 4 ft. 7 in.
6. In the compartment North of the last-named, .,. ... 2 ft. 4 in.
7. In the compartment South of do., ... ... 2 ft. 4 in.
That in the Lantern is ornamented with foliage running entirely round the rim;
No. 7> in the Nine Altars, is a mass of elaborately-finished foliage ; and No. 8,
indicated in Plate 19> is equally rich in figures ; but the most important is that
of the central compartment, indicated in Plates 55 and C7, which has large
figures of the Evangelists, with their distinguishing emblems.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 23
ROOFS.
The roofs of the Transepts remain nearly in the state left by the original
builders, but the South alone has its lead covering ; the Nave, Choir, and
North Transept having been stripped, and slate substituted, about fifty years
back. The roof of the Nave is modern, and of considerably lower pitch than
its predecessor (nearly ten feet), for the height of the former was that of the
gable between the Western Towers, shewn in section {Plate 10, c.) It was
lighted by long windows in the gable, and five windows in the arcade below ;
but all the latter have been blocked up, and the upper reduced (internally)
in height to bring the openings within the present roof.
The Choir and Nine Altars have their original roofs, with the addition of a
new set of small deal rafters, placed above the old ones at the time the lead was
stripped off. Their great tie-beams in many cases are considerably curved up-
ward, in order to clear the groining, which in some instances is higher than
the wall plates. From some whim or other, struts have been placed under se-
veral of these, and rest upon the groining ; weight has thus foolishly been added
to a part which (on account of lateral pressure) should be as light as possible.
If the roof is not strong enough without these excrescences, why not make it
so ? but surely the timbers which bore a lead covering for five centuries and
remain sound, are capable of bearing slates. All the ancient roofs are of the
same construction {see the Sections), and the following dimensions of the
Choir roof, with some few trifling differences, will serve for the whole : —
Rise from the wall plate, 21 feet; length of the great tie-beam 38 ft. 4 in.,
clear of bearings 32 ft. 2 in., scantling 13 x 10 in. ; struts 7 ft. 7i in. X 8 X
3i in. ; wall plates 8 x 5 in. ; inner rafter, carrying the collar beam, 15 ft. 5
in. x 13 X 3| in. ; outer rafter 7 x 5j in. ; modern do. 4 x 3 in. ; collar beam
12 ft. 1 in. X 13 X 3| in. ; purlins 8x5 in..
The principals of the roof of the Nave, shewn in Plate 13, are the following
dimensions:— Whole height 21 feet; great tie-beam 37 ft. 8j in. x 13ix 7 in.;
clear of bearing 32 ft. 7 in. ; width between queen posts 17 fl. 3 in. ; their scant-
ling 7 ft. X 7^ X 5 in. ; collar beam 7J X 5 in. ; collar beam rafters 5 x 5 in, ;
rafters 7 x 5 in. ; king post 6 x 6 in. ; struts 5 X 4j in. ; purlins 6| X 5 in. ;
outer rafters 3i x 2| in.
The roofs of the Triforia are covered with lead, and retain the form given
when the Norman roofs were removed, for originally each compartment had a
24 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
gable to its dormer window, but all merged into the common roof, which ter-
minated as now, under the Clere-story. These gables (which by the way must
have had an excellent effect by breaking the now long monotonous horizontal
lines of parapet and roof,) are clearly traceable on the South side of the
Nave ; on the North the chiseling process has almost obliterated them. It is
evident that the Triforium on the South side of the Nave has been used for
some particular purpose by the Convent, although not recorded, for when the
gables were altered small windows {see Plate 8) were inserted on each side
of the Norman specimens.
In Plate 8, No. 1 is a section of the Dormitory roof. The construction of
this is exceedingly simple, and affords an excellent model for a roof, where
the crown of the arch of a groined ceiling might come close to it without loss of
space, for frequently in our Cathedrals there is a great difference in the exter-
nal and internal height, owing to the space occupied by the roof ; as an example,
the external height of the Choir is 97 feet, and the interior to the groining 76
feet. In the wall of the Western Tower is a doorway to the roof, and near it
are the marks of the high-pitched roof belonging to the Norman Dormitory.
STAIRCASES AND PASSAGES OF COMMUNICATION.
The Norman architects provided complete and convenient access to all the
upper parts, and their successors, who built the Nine Altars, were equally care-
ful ; in fact, the communication with the different portions, until the erection of
the great North window of the Nine Altars, was perfect, but its insertion and
subsequent alterations, that is to say, the introduction of the large windows of
the North and South Transept, interfered much with the Clere-story passages,
and alterations made during the last great repairs, besides cutting off many of
the passages, have rendered the means of access generally less perfect.
There are six great staircases, i.e., two at the Western Towers, two in the
Transept, and two in the Chapel of the Nine Altars. Those of the Transept
rise without diminution to the roofs, and those of the Nine Altars to the Clere-
story of the South end. At this point they terminate, and smaller staircases,
shewn on the Plan {Plate 8), lead to the Clere-story on the West side. Those
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 25
of the Western Towers become gradually smaller upwards, from the open ar-
cade above the Nave Clere-story, to their termination at the roofs. All the
Norman staircases are laid upon a continuous vaulting of rubble-work, which,
in those of the Transept, is carefully plastered, but in the Western Towers is
left rough with the marks of its rudely-constructed centering. Those of the
Nine Altars are built with the steps of single stones, one end forming the newell
and the other resting in the wall. In addition to this, there is a continuous
string-course against the wall, taking the form of the steps, by way of support,
which has an excellent effect, independent of its use (see Plate 60).
Having described the staircases as an introduction to the various parts with
which they communicate, we now proceed to mention the latter.
1. The staircases of the AVestern Towers. Within a few feet of the ground in
both Towers were square-headed openings, intended to communicate with pro-
posed buildings in a line with the West end, but as these were not erected, the
doorways were walled up by the Norman architects. The first doorway in the wall
of the North- West Tower was to the roof of the North side of the Galilee. This
was walled up during the chiselling repairs of 1795, and an opening or glass
door made to the roof through the central compartment of the great West
window. At the level of the aisle-groining is a doorway to the inner space
of the Towers, which are open hence to their roofs. On the East side a
square-headed door (see Plate 43) communicates with the Nave Triforium, and
a passage, with descending steps, in the West wall to a landing at the base
of the West window. A passage, now blocked up, extended all round the
Towers at the level of the Nave Clere-story, to which it was open. In fact,
one side of this passage was that of the Clere-story. The next opening is at
the arcade, immediately above the Clere-story. Here a passage' extends
round three sides, that against the Nave being solid. A continuation of the
passage in the West wall of each Tower leads to the roof of the Nave on the
level of the decorated Norman windows, or arcade, at the base of the Nave
gable. Thus the Western Towers communicate with one another at the West
' Worked into the floor of this passage are some Norman arch and column mouldings, of earlier
date than the present Church. These are most probahly the only remaining portions of the dis-
mantled Cathedi'al built bv Aldhune.
26 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
window, and also from the roof of the Nave. Above the last-mentioned passage
is a smaller staircase to the upper open arcade, where there is a passage entirely
round the Tower, 19 inches wide, and from this level the staircase continues to
the flat lead roof at the battlements. In the North-East angle of the North
Tower is a small staircase from the lower to the upper open arcade.
2. The staircases of the Transept, like the last, lead to corresponding portions
of the North and South sides, and the description of one will be sufficient, if we
point out any differences as we proceed. Taking the North Transept, the first
opening (in the North wall) leads down eight steps to a platform across the ap-
parently cinque foil headed transom of the great North window' (see the Plan
on Plate 14). On the East side of this is a corresponding passage in the North
wall ascending thirteen steps into the Triforium of the Transept and continuing
to that of the Choir. At the East end of the latter (a and b, Plate 1 8) are door-
ways (c and d) to the Triforium of the West side of the Nine Altars,' and a
passage through doors (e andf) to the parapet of the aisles. Returning to the
staircase, the second door opens to a passage in the West wall {see Plate 14), and
through a doorway near the great Tower to the Nave Triforium. The exterior
of the Triforium roof on the North side is gained by a ladder near the doorway,
and of the South from the Dormitory roof. The third opening in the stair-
case is to the Clere-story of the Transept, the passage of which continues
round the angle of the great Tower to the West end of the Nave, where it is
now stopped against the Western Tower. Previous to the erection of the great
North and South windows of the Transept, passages in the wall communicated
with the Eastern Clere-story, but they were then necessarily destroyed, and
the only means of getting to it now is through the windows, from the roof of
the Triforia. The fourth and last opening in these staircases is to the great
roofs by the doors a and g-, in Plate 14 ; small doors marked c andyiead to
their parapets.
The great Tower on the level of the corbel table has three entrances, one
from the Nave roof, a second from that of the North Transept, and a third from
the South Transept, the latter being generally used as the most easy of access
1 Previous to the erection of the North window the passage across was the same as that of the
South Transept above the clock (see Plate 50).
- The Triforium of the West side is upon the same level as the Clere-story of the East side.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 27
from its position with regard to the Vergers' Vestry in the Aisle. A fourth
doorway in the Tower East wall is to the Choir roof, and in all cases (except
the Nine Altars) small doors lead from the roofs to the parapets. The com-
munication with the upper portion of the Tower is by a small staircase in the
South-west angle, through a doorway from the South Transept roof. The first
opening in this staircase is to a passage round the Tower at the base of the lan-
tern window (b, Plate 15). The second is a little below the line c, which indi-
cates the bell-ringers' floor." Passing from this floor up a ladder, seen in ele-
vation in the Plate, a door {n) in the North wall leads to a parapet round the
Tower, known as the bell-ringers' gallery, which terminates the lower stage of
the Tower. From the interior another ladder ascends to the belfry floor (/),
the highest internal point of communication. From the level of the bell-ringers'
floor the staircase continues, with sundry odd twists, to the flat lead roof at the
summit of the Tower.
3. The Staircases of the Nine Altars. The first opening is to the Triforium
above the arcade. Here the passage is complete round the South, East, and
North sides of the Chapel from one staircase to the other.^ The second open-
ing, in the South staircase, is to the Clere-story along the South and East sides
of the Chapel, passing by the base of the great circular window. The view from
this point along the Church is exceedingly grand, and undoubtedly its finest
internal picture. Access to the parapet at the exterior of this window is
through a glazed door in the lowjer compartment. In the South-East pinnacle
a staircase (i, Plate 18) led to the parapet of the East end, but this was walled
up and filled with rubbish during the improvements of 1795. The only way
of getting to this parapet now is along that of the Choir, down by the South-
West pinnacle to the parapet (s) at the South end of the Chapel (one foot
deep and twenty inches wide), and then to climb over the parapet against the
South-East pinnacle : this inconvenience and danger (for a slip would be death)
has to be encountered, because a most useful and safe means of communication
was unnecessarily blocked up. This staircase continues above the parapet to
' Over the centre of each window {il) is a hole through which a rope is passed, for the purpose
of suspending a man in a basket, when any repairs are needed to the windows.
2 A modern wall blocks up the communication with the North end.
28 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
the commencement of the pinnacle, and proves that its original termination
was to have been a turret.
A passage at the top of the great North staircase leads to a square-headed
opening shewn in the Western Triforium, Plate 18, and at u in the Plan above
it. From the level of the Clere- story small staircases {Plate 18, g) communi-
cate with that of the Western side and to the Eastern compartment of the Choir.
The South staircase terminates at this point, but the Northern one has two more
doorways, one to the parapet of the Chapel and North side of the Choir, and
another to the arcade over the great window in the North end. There is an-
other entrance to this arcade through a small doorway {u, Plate 18) from the
roof, which is common to that of the Choir.
The Choir Clere-story, excepting its compartments just mentioned, is the only
portion without a passage. It had one, but this was built up to give solidity to
the wall when the groining was constructed. The Norman communication with
the parapets of the Choir Triforia was by staircases partly in the pier of the
Eastern internal flying buttress and partly in the thickness of the wall, but these
were destroyed when the Nine Altars was erected.
The ancient builders often finished with as much care the unseen as well as
the visible portions ; and we have instances of this in the entrances to the
staircases under notice. One of these represented in Plate G9 has all the beauty
of execution, which characterises the other parts of this Chapel ; but unfortunate-
ly, from mere exposure to the atmosphere owing to the small loop-hole windows
of the staircases having been left unglazed for many years, the detail is con-
siderably decayed. So perishable indeed is the stone, that from the same cause
some of the steps have absolutely disappeared, and others have nearly crumb-
led away. These various staircases are remarkable instances of the diiferent
modes adopted by the Norman and later architects, for the former kept the
exterior regular by erecting them within the block of the plan, and the latter
rendered the interior uniform by erecting them without, thus answering the
double purpose of staircase and buttress. The blocks of the Norman staircases
render the design of the interior irregular ; thus the great windows in the Tran-
sept are not central in position, and the groin, which terminates on the angle of
the staircase, has an unpleasant effect {Plates 49 and 50.)
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 29
WINDOWS.
All the great windows at the ends of the Nave and Transept, of Norman
construction, were removed at a very early period, and larger ones, with tracery
peculiar to their dates, substituted for the purpose of gaining light. This
was the case, with all the windows in the Aisles of the Choir, and where the
Norman windows were not enlarged, muUions and tracery were subsequently
introduced, for they were all too wide for single lights, excepting the narrow
Clere-story windows of the East side of the Transept ; but as all these are re-
presented in the various elevations, we shall merely make some observations on
the principal specimens.
The windows of the South Aisle of the Choir were inserted by Prior Forcer,^
1341-1374, and those in the South Aisle of the Nave by Prior Wessington,
1416-1446. The windows of the Nine Altars were all single lights until Prior
Wessington's time, when they were filled with tracery and painted glass. The
tracery in those of the South end was restored in the year 1827, and removed
from those of the East end in 1 795. It seems to have been the intention of the
builders to have had a window in the West wall near the North and South ends,
for their arches are seen internally (p, Plate 18) and the Southern window
is also seen upon the exterior.
The great windows first spoken of are three in number, viz. :—
1. That at the West end of the Nave, built by Prior Forcer (1341-1374)
(see Plate 12). A portion of the tracery was restored about twenty years back.
Its ancient painted glass, almost entirely gone, "pictured" the genealogy of
Jesse, the father of David, and terminated in the upper quatrefoil with the Virgin
and our Saviour in her arms.
2. The window of the North Transept (Plate 6), called the window of the
four Doctors from its stained glass containing figures of Saints Augustine, Am-
brose, Gregory, and Jerome. It was originally built by Prior Forcer, and en-
tirely reconstructed after the original by Prior Castell, 1494-1519- Externally,
the length of its muUions appears excessive ; but internally this is not the case,
as they are broken by the transom or walk to the Triforium, which is not seen
on the exterior. The small window in the aisle is also the work of Prior Forcer,
and its design is a portion of the larger one.
' These, with the whole face of the South Aisle, were restored during 1842.
30 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
3. The iierpcndicular window of the South Transept ( Plates 9 and 50),
was called the Te Deum window, from that portion of the service having been
written in large characters on the glass between the mullions. This has unfor-
tunately entirely disappeared, but all the ancient painted glass of the tracery
remains. Its date is about 1450.
The most important window, both in point of interest and size, is the early
decorated specimen, within an equilateral pointed arch at the North end of the
Nine Altars, called Joseph's window, from the fact of the Patriarch's history
having formed the subjects of its painted glass, some small fragments of which
are still left in the upper part. The beauty of its tracery is only equalled by
its simplicity, for it consists of nothing but a series of triangles and circles,
whose dimensions are all geometrically fixed. It is perfectly unique in the re-
petition internally of the great ribs (or triangles) of the tracery supported on
clustered columns, the latter being connected with the mullions by through-stones
at five diiferent places, which add materially to the strength of the whole. There
is an iron bar, acting as a tie, running through this internal tracery, and resting
upon the capitals Qsee Plate 65). This appears to be original, for there is
nothing in the shape of a tie plate on the exterior, as is the case with the mo-
dern iron rods inserted across the Choir of Carlisle Cathedral.
There is yet another important window, but now only so from its size and com-
manding position. This is the circular one at the East end of the Nine Altars and
coeval with the erection of that portion of the Cathedral {see Plate 21). It was
exceedingly interesting, both as regards its architecture and painted glass, which
was given by Richard Pickering, Rector of Hemingsburgh, 1409-1413, at a
cost of £14. ; the first was taken out and very badly reinstated in 179-5, and
the stained glass taken down as a matter of course with it, lay in baskets about
the floor for a considerable time. After much of it had been broken and
more taken away, the remainder was, with the addition of numerous pieces of
modern red, green, blue, and yellow, fitted into the window by a jumbling pro-
cess known only to the artist (?) employed. In fact, it looks like the multitu-
dinous variegation produced by a large Kaleidoscope.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 31
THE GALILEE.
St. Cuthbcrt, from some cause now of no importance, had a great dislike to
women, and ordered that none should be admitted into his Church at Lindis-
farne, which system was afterwards carried out at Durham. It is even said that
they were not allowed to go beyond a certain distance into the church-yard.
But then, as now, ladies were curious, and one of the bridesmaids of Queen Maud
of Scotland (about 1130) putting on a Monk's dress, entered the Church in
defiance of the Saint ; upon this St. Cuthbert " spoke out" from the tomb to the
Sacrist, and commanded him to " lose no time in driving out the wench," which
was accordingly done ; and other attempts made by the ladies, who, to enter the
Cathedral, absolutely " put on mens' attire," were all frustrated by the wariness
of the Saint' consequent upon his hate to the sex.
Bishop Pudsey was a more polite man, and in compassion to the now ac-
knowledged better half of society, began a Chapel at the East end especially
for their use, and brought several pillars of marble from beyond the sea to
adorn it, but the Saint would not sleep under the impression that they were
coming so near him, and consequently shook the place about their ears, or pos-
sibly they could not get a good foundation for the new building ; however it
would not stand, and accordingly the Bishop determined to try the effect of a
Chapel at the West end, and to one of these causes we owe the erection of the
beautiful and unique Chapel known as the Galilee' (1154-1197)-
Its style is an exceedingly interesting specimen of very late Norman, border-
ing upon early English, and yet it is unlike either style, for in the repetition of
the arches and their masterly decoration there is something which almost leads
us to believe we are in a Moorish building.
Externally it was very different from what it now is : instead of the great
clumsy buttresses at the Vest end, it was richly decorated with arcades and in-
1 ^^^lat would Cutbbert say if he could see the Choir of his Church fitted up with pews for the
ladies, and above all to the pew encroaching on the Bishop's throne ?
2 The onlv reason given by the writers on Durham for the name is, "because of the transition
thereof being once begun and afterwards removed."— Sanderson, p. 45. There is a building called
the GaUlee, at the West end of Ely Cathedral, but it is merely a vestibule to the Nave. Bentham,
in his work on the Cathedral, thinks that the name is a corniption of gallery, from the circumstance
of the chapel having communicated by a gallei-y with the conventual buildings.
32 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
terlaced' work, divided into compartments by flat buttresses. The mode of
lighting the Chapel was also entirely different ; for, though there may have
been a window facing the West in each compartment, the principal light was
from eight windows above the arches of the North and South compartments.^
At a later period the eight windows were blocked up, and early English walls
and windows built at the North and South sides and at the West end, the lower por-
tion of the Norman wall and doorway on the North side alone remaining. After
this the Chapel remained unaltered until Cardinal Langley's time (140C-1437).
He heightened all the walls, and added so much weight upon the arches, that
the ponderous buttresses at the West end became necessary ; then followed the
present roof and the three perpendicular windows at the West end. Under
the archway of the great door he built an altar and tomb, within which he was
afterwards interred, and lastly, fearing that the two detached columns of marble
would not bear the additional weight, he added two more of stone, making each a
pier with four shafts, and thus completely destroying the beautiful effect of light-
ness, the great characteristic of the original design. All these alterations, as ap-
pears from the accounts preserved in the Dean and Chapter records, amounted to
£499. 6s. 7d. Langley also placed (by permission from the Pope) a font at
the West end of the South Aisle for the baptism of children whose parents were
under sentence of excommunication. It has been justly said to be a " suitable
accompaniment to the seat of consistorial judgment hard by, whence the thunders
of ecclesiastical law issued almost weekly, and from which, in criminal cases,
there was no appeal."^
In his repairs. Bishop Langley exhibited a most extraordinary respect for
the architecture of an earlier period, for instead of destroying the Norman ar-
cade, which was necessarily removed by opening the doorways from the Aisles,
it was preserved to fill up the great West door. Besides this, he actually made
the square headed hood-moulding inclosing the spandrils of his low pointed
doors, of the Norman character ; and all that denotes his alteration to the cen-
tral door is the four octagonal brackets with shields, in the string above the
arcade, and the small door to his Altar. These points are illustrated in Plate
38, the parts altered being tinted.
' Considerable remains of these may still be seen (see Plate 12).
2 One of these is shewn in Plate 36. s Raine's Guide, p. 84.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 33
The Chapel consists of five compartments or aisles, and all have distinct roofs,
that of the central compartment being the highest. From North to South it is
divided into four compartments by early English columns, supporting Norman
arches,' and ornamented by three distinct rows of zig-zag, divided by equila-
teral pointed ribs, so that the arch as well as the columns betrays the date.
There is nothing extraordinary in circular arches surmounting columns of
the later style, being merely a mixture of styles in a state of transition. Thus
in the Western Towers, the first arcade above the Clere-story of the Nave
is pointed, and the second circular ; the third is pointed, and the fourth un-
der the battlements circular, and the whole is surmounted by a Norman
corbel table. Plate 34 is the ground plan of the Chapel. A. the great door
walled up by Bishop Langley, and B. C. two doors opened by him. D. the
North entrance blocked up in the first alterations, when a plain early-de-
corated door was inserted at E. This has recently been closed, and the
original door again opened. F. an early pointed window walled up. G. a
small apartment or vestry between the buttresses, lighted by two small win-
dows overlooking the river. H. an arched recess cut into the Norman wall. I.
a vaulted recess open to the Chapel ; the arch of this (which bears the weight
of the central window), is remarkable for its depression, being 10 feet 8 inches
wide and rising only 13J inches. Against it, in the central aisle, was an iron
pulpit where, previous to the Reformation, a Monk preached every Sunday, at
one o'clock, to the female congregation. K. a stone seat against the South,
AV^est, and North walls. L. Bishop Langley's tomb. Within the archway of
the door he founded a Chantry and Altar to the Virgin for the good of his
soul. Part of the wooden frame work of this remains, with fragments of inscrip-
tions or sentences of adoration to our Lady in gilt letters. M. a plain tomb,
said to contain the remains of the Venerable Bede, to whom was dedicated
an Altar in the recess of the West wall, marked O. This, with a gorgeous
Shrine over the tomb, was taken away at the Reformation. N. is the site
of an Altar dedicated to "our Lady of Pity." In this recess are some re-
markably well preserved specimens of ancient painting, which have been illus-
trated by the Society of Antiquaries of London. The front wall is filled with
drapery, and in the sides are two figures said to represent Richard the First
1 All the arches and their mouldings were coloured red and white, and much of it stiU remains.
B
34 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
and Pudsey. The sofSt of the arch is ornamented with foliage of early Eno-lish
character, much later than the figures, and displays considerable advance in the
art. O. a small stone box, open at the top. It formerly had an iron gratincr or
door in front, and was probably intended for the exhibition of relics.
Plate 35 has the detail of various parts. A. is the plan of the columns
against the West wall (shewn at B.) in their original state. C. is the plan
repeated, with one of Langley's columns at D. One of the old capitals, with
Langley's attached to it, is shewn at K. It is very questionable whether the
later columns support the building in the slightest degree, being merely fitted
against the old ones. At E. are the base mouldings, and F. those of the capital.
G. the zig-zag in front of the arches, and H. the label and mouldings of the
arch. These ornaments divide the wall into five equal parts of 6| inches each,
two of which are the ribs and three the zig-zag ornaments.
The Consistory Court of Durham was held upon Bishop Langley's tomb until
the Reformation, and the following black letter inscription over the door relates
to it : — " Judicium Jehovae est. Domine Deus da servo tuo cor intelligens ut
judicet populu' tuu' et discernat inter honu" et malum.'" The Court was after-
wards in the South Aisle of the Chapel, and the North Aisle was walled ofi'
as a depository for judicial documents. In 1 796 it was removed to the North
Transept, when the Galilee was, under the advice of James Wyatt, doomed to
destruction, and the lead actually stripped oiF; but the work was stopped by the
opportune arrival of Dean Cornwallis. Mr. Wyatt's idea was to remove the
Chapel entirely, and restore the West entrance, with a carriage drive past it.
However we might, as antiquaries, regret its removal, he was undoubtedly
right as an architect and artist, for the chapel is an excrescence upon the ori-
ginal composition, and entirely destroys the grand effect of the West front, a
near view of which cannot possibly be obtained. Besides, we know perfectly
well, that it would not have existed but for the caprice of St. Cuthbert. '
' See page 31.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 35:
THE NINE ALTARS.
The Chapel of the Nine Altars' had its origin in the threatened fall of the
semicircular end of the Choir. We have affixed a supposed plan of this in
Plate 5, in juxtaposition with the plan of its present state. It is upon record
that the Choir and Aisles each had semicircular terminations, but with this we
disagree, believing that, for constructive reasons alone, it was similar to our re-
presentation ; for the massive walls and buttresses of the Aisles were as essen-
tial to the East end as to the other parts of the Church.
With respect to our adopted plan, the pier West of the Altar Screen is restored
to its original form, and columns added to the East, the same as those to the
West of the pier. The position of these columns is singular, for a line cutting
through their centres passes the centre of St. Cuthbert's grave. The semicircle
of the Aisles from this point extends to the present Eastern wall, as may be seen
by the connection of the plans. If this be correct, the end was a semicircle ex-
tending exactly to the walls of the Nine Altars, and its centre was the body of
the Saint. Independently of construction, our ideas upon this plan are strength-
ened, from the fact that without the Aisles there would have been no passage
Eastward of the high Altar for processions, a point which in Durham would hard-
ly be omitted, when it is considered that the shrine of St. Cuthbert was the most
venerated portion of the Cathedral.
In consequence of the extensive and increasing fractures in the circular end.
Prior Melsonby, 1235 (having the Chapel in contemplation), obtained an indul-
gence from the Bishop of Ely, remitting thirty days of penance to all who should
aid in its erection by gifts or otherwise. After alluding to the incorruptibility of
St. Cuthbert, it says, — " above his sacred sepulchre devout men of old erected
a vaulted roof of stone, which at the present day is so full of fissures and cracks,
that its fall seems to be approaching. Seeing, therefore, our Venerable Brother
R. Lord Bishop of Durham, wishing to obviate so manifest a danger, is disposed
by the aid of God to erect a new building at the Eastern end of the Church
aforesaid, we exhort and admonish one and all of you that ye be willing" out
of your goods, " tender heartedly to give the assistance of your charity," &c.^
1 Its name arose from an Altar having been placed under each of the nine windows on the East side.
- In order to gain funds for this and for groining the Choir and Nave, Prior Melsonby issued a
manifesto enumerating indulgences amounting to four hundred and thirty days remission of penance.
36 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
From this time the Chapel proceeded until its completion without any material
alteration in the design, the introduction of the great North window being the
only change.' In the ground plan (Plate 4), the early English addition to the
Cathedral is tinted darker than the rest. It included the Eastern part of the
Choir, a portion of the connecting Norman pier having been cut away and re-
decorated in the later style. The whole of the present vaulting of the Choir
is of this period, for it appears that it was vaulted by the Norman builders, as
the shape of their groins is still visible against the walls.
The Chapel is divided into seven compartments, the central with three win-
dows being of the same width as the Choir. The side compartments are divided
by stone shafts with columns of Frosterley marble (County of Durham) connect-
ed with the piers by bands. The plans of these piers are in Plate 60, E. being
those of the central compartment, and D. the smaller piers of the side ones.
This Chapel presents many architectural singularities, and some are perfectly
unaccountable, betraying the most complete contempt for uniformity of design.
And yet what can exceed the effect of the whole, or the beauty of design and
execution of its various members ? The principal peculiarity is in the groining,^
which arises thus : — In the East wall (North and South of the centre) are three
equal, and in the West three unequal, compartments ; the first of the latter,
against the end walls, is equal to those of the East side, but the third occupying
the width of the Choir Aisles deprives the intermediate one of its fair proportion.
To get rid of this irregularity in the groining, diagonal ribs were built over both
compartments, and an interpenetrating arch across the unequal portion (see Plate
19). By this arrangement the unsightly effect which must have resulted from
the twisted groins, indicated at w, Plate 18, was avoided. Another curious
effect is produced by the dissimilarity of the internal window arches at the South
end, owing to the inequality of the jambs.^ Those between the central buttress
and internal columns are at considerable and unequal angles from the South
wall, while those against the corner buttresses are at right angles with it, and
thus result the glaring irregularities represented in Plates 69 and 6?.
' This was evidently an afterthouglit, as appears by the commencement of a buttress on the ex-
terior, similar to that of the South end.
^ The plan is figured in Plate 18.
^ See the plan of the Triforium, with measurements, in Plate 17.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
37
THE CENTRAL TOWER.
Of this there is not any account as it was left by the Norman architects, and
the history of the upper portion is somewhat confused. The generally received
account states that the new work, called the lantern, or lower stage, was built
by Bishop Farnham (1241-1257), and that the belfry above was the work of
Prior Derlyngton (1258-1274); that on the night preceding Corpus Christi
day, 1429, it was struck by lightning, set on fire, and damaged to the cost of
£233. 6s. 8d. In 1456 it was in a state of great decay, and repairs were com-
pleted in 1474, as a letter by the Prior of that date mentions " the re-edification
of our steeple begun but not finished in default of goods, as God knoweth.'"
There is evidently something wrong in this statement, for the whole, including
the corbel table {see Plate 47) is undoubtedly the work of one date, and that too
after 1429.
Our idea is, that the account of 1241-1257 relates to the upper portion of
the Western Towers, whose architecture is of the period referred to ; that the
addition of the belfry, 1258, may have been to the " Galiley steeple" or North-
western Tower, which had four great bells, "never rung but at principal
feasts ;" or it may have been to the Norman Central Tower, where " hung three
fine bells," rung for the ordinary services of the Church ; that the low Norman
Tower remained undisturbed until the fire of 1429, when it was repaired ; and
finally, that if the description previous to this date relates to a central Tower,
it was not the present one, for the whole is of the perpendicular style, which did
not exist until after 1400, and from the string course at the base of the internal
paneUing, we believe it was the work of Prior BelF ( 1464-1478). There would
have been some show of reason for the pretended early date of the Tower, had
the perpendicular panelling been a casing, but there is ample proof of its date
in the four-centred arch of the passage at the base of the great windows.
As regards the Western Towers, it is said that they were both surmounted by
spires covered with lead. Browne Willis says they were removed about 1657-
The South Tower has the angular springing arches of a spire, but the North
' A ring of bells, intended for the new belfry, was tbis year lost at sea.
2 He was afterwards Bishop of Carlisle. A bell is amongst the ornaments of this string course^
and another ornament is a mermaid, which is very similar to one sculptured on the stalls of Carhsle
Cathedral, executed during Bishop Bell's time {see Billings's Carlisle Cathedral, Plate 35).
38 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
Tower appears never to have had them. The Western Triforium and the Clere-
story compartments of the Nave, which were formerly open to the Western
Towers, have been walled up, so that nothing of them can be seen from the
interior of the Nave. What a beautiful effect might be gained by opening
these, and placing stained glass in the windows of the Towers. Dean Whitting-
ham (1563-79) was about to have the Galilee bells destroyed, when Thomas
Spark, first prebend of the third stall, and the Bishop's suffragan, at his own
expense, caused three to be taken down and removed to the great Tower, and
with those already there, " he made a fine set of chimes." In Dean Hunt's time
(1620-1038) the bells were recast and hung in 1632 by Thomas Bartlet, and
cost £128. 12s. 7d. In 1693 they were again recast by Ch. Hodgson, a
Londoner, who made the present " eight melodious bells."
During the repairs of 1795, which have elsewhere been mentioned as so fatal
to the external decorations of the Cathedral, a most important alteration, or
rather addition, was contemplated by James Wyatt. It was, in fact, no less than
. a design for a lofty spire upon the Central Tower. This idea has been ridi-
culed— first, because a spire would not be in good taste or harmony with the
general design, and secondly, that the weight of one would bring the whole to
the ground. In answer to the former objection, a spire was decidedly intended
by the original builders, or why were the angular arches placed at the top of the
Tower? (see Plate 15). As to the second objection, we cannot suppose that
the Tower, whose piers occupy above six hundred square feet, and whose walls
are above five feet thick at the summit, would not support a spire ; but as ex-
ample is better than precept, it is considerably stronger than the celebrated
Tower at Salisbury, which has borne a spire two hundred feet high for several
centuries.
The Tower is not square, being from East to West internally (at the Corbel
Table) 34 feet 0^ inch, and 33 feet from North to South, nor are any of the
walks of the table equal in width, for the North is 31| inches, the South 24 J,
the East 27, and the West 30 inches. In the section' (Plate 15} are a series
of letters of reference to the height of the various portions, as follows : —
' 111 some of our plates the upper stage of the Central Tower is left out on account of its height
not permitting the introduction into the oblong plates.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
39
A. From the floor to the corbel table
B. To the commencement of the panelling
C. To the walk at the base of the great windows
D. To the capitals at the spring of the groining
E. To the opening between the buttresses of the long windows
F. From this to the lower parapet
G. The lower parapet
H. From this to the openings of the upper parapet
J. The parapet
Total height from the pavement
The piers are all somewhat sunk, and the Triforiura columns and arches
against it have in consequence been put out of shape. One of the shafts is
restored with wood, and a base on the South side of the Nave, to mark the re-
storation, has its base carved with early-decorated mouldings. The sinking of
the piers is about four inches more on the North than the South side, but the
walls are made level by unequal courses ; thus from the walk to the panelling
on the North side it is six feet four inches, and to the South side only six feet
at the commencement of the panelling above the corbel table.
Feet.
Inches
. 77
0
. 6
0
. 19
7i
. 22
^
s 30
lOi
8
H
. 7
Ok
. 39
6
. 5
101
. 216
8
THE CHOIR.
The design of the present stalls is attributed to James Clement, architect, of
Durham, who died in 1690. Their style is debased Gothic, with a strong in-
fusion of Italian detail ; and, though good in point of general efliect, will not
bear the most casual examination with old Gothic work. Nothing whatever
remains of the ancient furniture of the Choir, which was of the same splendid
description as that of the High Altar, elsewhere described, and the ancient
stalls were unfortunately destroyed by the Scotch prisoners taken at the battle
of Dunbar, who, to the number of four or five thousand, were confined in the
Cathedral, " and miserably defaced the Church."
There were anciently "three pair of organs" in the Choir, and another pair
attached to Jesus' Altar at the East end of the Nave. " The grandest," over
40 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
the Choir door, was opened and played only upon principal feasts. The second,
called the " Cryers," on the North side, was played when the four " Doctors
of the Church were read, viz,, Augustine, Ambrose, Gregory, and Jerome,"
and the third on the South side was for the daily services. It does not appear
when these organs disappeared, but it was most probably with the stalls. The
organ now in the Cathedral was built by Father Schmidt in 1684-5, and as left
by him had 1068 pipes. For its construction he received £700. and the ma-
terials of the old organ or organs. Besides this cost, £50. was paid for paint-
ing and gilding the pipes.
It was repaired generally, and considerably added to, in 1823, by the cele-
brated organ builder, England, who added a double diapason and pedals, toge-
ther with 550 pipes, making the total 1618. As regards size and power, it
cannot of course be compared with many organs of the present age ; but it has
ample power to fill the Cathedral, and the diapasons are remarkable for a full-
ness and mellowness of tone not easily to be equalled, and which strongly re-
mind us of the celebrated, though smaller, organ of the Temple Church, erected
by the same Schmidt. Both specimens bring to our recollection the time when
the quality, not the quantity of sound produced, was necessarily considered to
constitute good music, and vvhen the organ was made somewhat subservient to
the size of the building. The great case is 18 ft. 6 in. wide, 4 ft. 6 in. deep, and
32 ft. high, and that of the Choir organ 9 ft. wide and 3 ft. deep.
In Plate 4 is the plan of the Choir. M. is the entrance under the organ,
and on the North side of this passage are the stairs (s) leading to it. There
are forty-four principal stalls, and thirty-six smaller ones below them. In front
of the latter are a range of seats, p. is the Litany desk, and q. and r. desks
for the singing boys, immediately behind which, in the minor stalls, are the
choristers' places. T. is the Pulpit, hexagonal in form, and probably of Italian
design. It is against the Eastern circular column on the North side of the Choir.
Its sides are three feet in width, and the lower portion (which covers the internal
staircase) is remarkable for the beauty of the inlaid, or rather etched, figures
of the Evangelists and other Apostles upon its panels. The Pulpit was origin-
ally intended to have been insulated, for the sixth side, which is hidden by the
column, has a figure on the panel.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 41
THE CLOCK.
The ancient Clock was at tlie back of Jesus' Altar, under the great Tower.
The present one {Plate 50) was erected in 1632, the charge being "for the
new clock and dyall, £18. 9s. 6d." Although it has an incongruous mixture of
detail, the whole is remarkably picturesque. Its lantern, supported by four arched
ribs, is evidently an imitation of tbe spire of St. Nicholas, at Newcastle-on-Tyne.
A bell is suspended at the junction of these ribs, but the striking mechanism has
been removed. On the door panels, beneath the clock, was a picture of the in-
terior of the Cathedral ; but some years back this was obliterated by coats of
paint. Between the front pinnacles is a panel containing three dials, one indi-
cating the month, another the day of the month, and the third the moon's age.
In the ornamental work above these dials is a large thistle, which is said to
have saved the clock from the destruction which befell the stalls in 1650, but
another account states that the clock, and probably the font, were removed be-
fore the Scotch prisoners were confined in the Cathedral. Both were replaced
in 1655. It is to be regretted that the ancient stalls (worth fifty such barbarous
specimens as those preserved) were not similarly taken care of. There is another
clock, below the Belfry, which strikes the quarters and hours, but it has no dial.
THE BISHOP S THRONE,
Illustrated by Plates 56, 57, 58, is the work of Thomas Hatfield, who in-
tended it to answer the purposes of a throne and his own tomb. Beneath a
large central canopy in the lower division of the screen, is the Bishop's seat,
the trifoil-headed panelling of its back being seen in Plate 57, the view in the
South Aisle. Plate 58 is the lower portion of this view, displaying the monu-
ment and general style of its ornament. There was a small altar attached to
the tomb, prepared by the Bishop for a monk to say mass for his soul ; this
was on the left of the tomb {Plate 57), where one of the Norman shafts was cut
away to make room for it. The whole of its exquisitely chiselled ornament
has been painted and gilt, but the careless manner in which the various coats of
white-wash were removed by scraping, has almost obliterated every trace. Like
the Altar screen, it was decorated with statues whose pedestals are still left.
42 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
The introduction of the pew in front of the throne has damaged both the ge-
neral effect and detail ; one result on the latter score (to gain head-room) being
the destruction of the tracery cusps or inverted angels, similar to those in the
aisle. As to the tomb, it is completely hidden by a wooden partition, but there
is no reason whatever why this should not be removed, and an open back brought
out to the front of the tomb ; and if there must be a partition, why not have one
of glass, in order that the alabaster effigy of Hatfield might be seen ? Were
this done, and the staircase and parapet properly restored, the throne would be
as complete as could be wished ; for where there is so much beautiful form, arti-
ficial colouring is quite of secondary importance.
THE ALTAR SCREEN.
As a detached Altar Screen, with its accompanying Sedlllise, this is perhaps
the most remarkable in the kingdom, either as regards magnitude or richness
of detail. The whole is of Caen stone, and was executed in London durino-
the time of Prior Berrington, at a cost of eight hundred marks (£533. 6s. 8d.),
towards which Lord John Neville, of Raby, gave six hundred. ' It was con-
veyed by sea as far as Newcastle, and occupied seven masons for a year in
erecting (1380). Besides the profusion of architectural ornaments, there were
formerly no less than one hundred and seven statues'^ in the now empty niches,
nine of which, in the lower range of canopies, were of life-size.^ These statues
were all painted and gilt, and we have no doubt, were as beautiful as the other
portions. The Reformation swept the whole away, and, as a matter of course,
very much deteriorated from the effect of the Screen, by causing too great a
preponderance of long, stringy, perpendicular lines.
' His arms are carved in the spandrils of the doorway (see Plate 1). Oddly enough the material
of the screen has been questioned. Hutchinson says it is of plaster of Paris ; but all of the latter
material used acts as cement in fitting it together, the adhesion of the small pinnacles and other
ornamental parts being materially assisted by wooden pegs.
2 There are two beautiful specimens of the ancient internal statues left in the Clere-story of the
Choir, at the junction of the Norman and early English work {see Plates 54 and 55).
^ The small statues all had rings in their backs, and were fastened in the screen by hooks, which
still remain.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 43
The Screen consists of ten detached piers, ornamented on the West side
with angular buttresses, and square ones on the East. Between these, on each
side, are four small niches, above which the piers terminate with lofty pinnacles.
The basement (otherwise solid) has two doorways to St. Cuthbert's shrine, in
the second space from each end. Above is a series of open niches, five prin-
cipal (octagonal) and four smaller (hexagonal).' Above these niches is a se-
cond series, the five principal being open as before for statues, but the minor ones
have all the piers, being mere ornamental canopies, terminated with pinnacles.
Surmounting the second series of open niches is another range with the piers
complete, and lofty pinnacles terminating the elevation.
The plates illustrating the Screen and Sedilliae are nine in number ; of these
Plate 5.5 is the general view, Plates 32 and 32 are half-elevations of the East
and West fronts, and Plate 31 has the mouldings and other detail, with letters
of reference to corresponding ones on the elevations. Plate 30 is the Plan of
half the Screen on three different stages, marked A. B. and C. on plate 33 —
Plate 29 is the canopy of the central niche, whose finials and other ornaments
are much mutilated, giving, in fact, a very good idea of the state of the whole.
The two square buttresses at the angles appear to have been pedestals for small
figures. Plate 1 is the West side of one of the doorways, and Plate 28 repre-
sents the lower portion of the East side of the Screen.
The Sedilliae, on the South side, marked 15 and 16 on Plate 4, are illustrated
in Plate 61, those on the North being their exact counterpart. These are even
more mutilated than the Screen, all the cusps of the tracery above the seats
having disappeared, as is the case with the small buttress pinnacles ; several of
the great pinnacles have also shared the same fate, and are restored with wood.
With the veneration for our ancient monuments which has lately sprung up, we
may hope, ere long, to see all these restored to their original beauty.
The whole of the present furniture of the Altar is of the time of Bishop Cosin
(1660-1674), who presented it to the Cathedral.
' On the "West side, the front pillar of the niches was left out for displaying the statues. The
central niche, wider than the others, had a statue of the Virgin, and in those on each side were sta-
tues, called " the picture of St. Cuthbert and the picture of St. Oswald, all richly gilt." — Sander-
son, p. 10.
44 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
ST. CUTIIBERT'S SHP.INE.
The quadrangular space, East of the Altar Screen, bears the name of St.
Cuthbert's Shrine, although it is only its site, for the Shrine was destroyed
during the Reformation. His life, and the description of the gorgeous Shrine
over his grave, besides other matters concerning the Saint and Cathedral, form a
quarto volume by the Rev. James Raine, and there are other accounts, both in
Sanderson's and Hutchinson's works, which render repetition here unnecessary.
When Aldhune's Cathedral was pulled down (1093), a temporary Shrine' was
erected in the Cloister yard for Cuthbert's body, and above his tomb was a
marble figure of the Saint, " finely pictured with painting and gilding." Here
the body remained until the consecration of the present Cathedral, in 1104,
when, from some doubt having been expressed as to his incorruptibility, the
coffins were opened, and, according to the monkish accounts, he was found per-
fect. It does not appear that he was disturbed during the building of the Nine
Altars, although the architecture about the Shrine is of that date. The body was
above ground, on a stone bier supported by nine pillars, and remained until 1372»
when Lord John Neville had a sumptuous tomb made in London at an expense
of £200. After the dissolution of monasteries ( 1 540), the King's visitors came
to Durham, and the Shrine, with the whole of its ornaments, was then taken
away or totally destroyed. After being again examined and found to be en-
tire (?), the body lay for a time in the great Vestry, and being interred under
the site of his Shrine, was covered with a large stone represented in Plate 28.*
From this time until the year 1827 the mortal remains of the Saint lay undis-
turbed ; the sacred mausoleum was then invaded by the curious, for the purpose
of ascertaining whether the body was still entire. The grave was accordingly
opened, and therein was found a perfect skeleton, and by its side a second scull,
supposed to be that of King Oswald, the founder of the See of Lindisfarne, G35.
There were also found articles of dress, of Saxon workmanship, the stole, maniple,
cSjc, an ivory comb, a small silver altar, and a purse or small linen bag for the
1 The site of this monument was opposite the parlour door. Dean Home (1551) demolished every-
thing relating to it, except the figure, and converted the lead and other materials to his own use.
The statue was placed in the East side of the Cloister, but was destroyed by Dean Whittingham
(1563-1579), who is accused of a general demolition of monuments and holy water basins, the two
principal ones being changed into culinary utensils for salting beef and fish.
2 This formerly covered the grave of Richard Heswell, a Monk, whose name is on the under side.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 45
Sacramental elements, all of which were in the coffin at his burial in 1 104 ; and
it was proved that the robes had never been in contact with anything but a ske-
leton. The story of his incorruptibility is therefore considered as a juggle by
the monks for lucrative purposes.' On the same evening (May 17th), he was
re-interred, but the reliques above-named were removed to the Dean and Chap-
ter's Library. From the shrine-keeper's accounts, it is calculated that from
1378 to 1513, the offerings amounted to above £66,000. of our present
money. In the latter part of this period they dwindled considerably, until, in
1513, the box was found empty, and at last the Shrine became unprofitable
and even expensive. The Reformation opportunely disburdened the Church of
this charge, and at the same time of the gold and silver images, together with the
jewels which adorned the Shrine. According to Sanderson, the King's visitors
" found many valuable and goodly jewels, especially one which, by the estimate
of their skilful lapidaries, was of value sufficient to redeem a Prince." In addition
to the doorways in the Altar Screen, are two others between it and the Eastern
piers of the Choir (11 & 12, PL 4). These were entrances to the Shrine from
the aisles. Eastward of the piers, the Shrine is surmounted by a wood Screen
of revived Italian design, said to have been erected in the reign of Queen Mary.
Portions of the pavement in the Shrine, immediately in contact with Cuthbert's
grave- stone, are square with it, but on both sides, near the Eastern piers, it as-
sumes a circular arrangement, as if it belonged to the original Eastern termin-
ation, which undoubtedly was not the case. It is most probable that when the
Shrine was defaced by the King's visitors, the pavement was repaired in the
present heterogeneous manner. On each side of the grave-stone are deep in-
dentations in the pavement, said to have been produced by the kneeling of de-
votees, and this, indeed, may have been their origin ; but the footsteps of the
antiquary and the curious, as they have stood in contemplation of the holy de-
pository, have doubtless had a goodly share in causing their present depth.
' In spite of all that is proved, the Roman Catholics persist in saying that it was not St. Cuthbert
who was found, and that if they were allowed to remove the incorruptible body, the three persons, in
whose custody it is said the secret of his resting-place is vested, will at once point out the position.
46 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
altahs and sheines.
With regard to this portion of the ancient decorations, we can now trace the
localities of no less than thirty Altars in various parts of the Cathedral, and it
is said that their number amounted to forty. So numerous were they, that the
North Aisle of the Nave was the only portion of the Church not blocked up.
Independently of these, there were porches or lodgings, actually within the
Church, for various persons connected with the services. Four men were ap-
pointed to ring the great Tower bells "at midnight and at such times of the
day as the Monks went to serve God ; two of the said men belonged to the
Revestry, and kept the copes, the vestments, and five pair of silver censers, with
the other ornaments pertaining to the High Altar, and lay in a chamber over
the West end of the Revestry : the other two men lay in a chamber in the
North alley, over against the Sacrist's Exchequer : they swept and kept the
Church clean," he— Sanderson, p. 25. Again, p. 43, " Also on the back part,
behind Nevill's Altar, to the midst of the pillar behind the Church door (the
South Aisle of the Nave), in compass from pillar to pillar, there was a chamber
where one that kept the Church and rung the bells at midnight lodged."
Added to the splendour of the Altars themselves, there was so great a number
of cressets' and lamps, candlesticks of silver, altar plate, gorgeous dresses, ban-
ners, books, statues, pictures, and such a profusion of reliques, griffins' eggs,
and bones of the Innocents, as perhaps no Church in Christendom could boast
of. The Reformation spared none of these, and the architecture of the High
Altar, some brackets for statues, with a few dresses, and books, is the catalogue
of all that remains. Sanderson's work has descriptions of all the Shrines and
Altars, and we refer to it those who wish to examine the subject more in detail,
contenting ourselves with a mere list; our object being rather the illustra-
tion of the building as it exists, than its ancient and obsolete furniture."^
' After describing the great circular window of the Nine Altars, Sanderson's account continues —
" and in the said window there was a frame of iron, whereon stood nine cressets of earthen metal,
filled with tallow, which every night were lighted to give light to the Nine Altars and St. Cuthbert's
Feretory, and over all the Church besides, and burned till day-break." — p. 5.
2 " There were at every Altar two chalices and silver crewets appertaining to it, both with albs and
vestments for principal feasts, and also for all other days beside. Every altar had its double furniture
for adorning aU parts of the altar, serving both for holidays and principal feasts."— 5anrferwn, p. 95.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 47
1. Altar in the centre of the Nine Altars to St. Cuthbert and Bede.
2. St. Oswald and St. Lawrence ; 3. St. Thomas of Canterbury and St. Catherine ;
4. St. John the Baptist and St. Margaret ; 5. St. Andrew and St. Mary Magda-
lene. These were to the South of Cuthbert's Altar.
6. St. Martin and St. Edmund ; 7. St. Peter and St. Paul ; 8. St. Aidanus and St.
Helene ; 9. The Archangel St. Michael. These were North of Cuthbert's Altar.'
10. Altar attached to St. Cuthbert's Shrine ; 11. The High Altar.
12. At the Eastern end of the North Aisle of the Choir, in a porch called the Anchorage.
13. In the North Aisle of the Choir, first called St. Blaise's Altar, but afterwards Skir-
law's, fi-om that Bishop being buried before it.
14. Adjoining Bishop Hatfield's Tomb, in the South Aisle of the Choir.
15. In the Revestry or Chapel in the angle of the Choir and South Transept. This was
used by the Bishop's suffragan, who at stated periods conferred holy orders.
16. 17, 18. St. Nicholas, St. Gregory, and St. Benedict, in the North Transept Aisle.
19. Our Lady of Houghwell ; 20. Our Lady of Bolton ; 21. St. Fides and St. Thomas the
Apostle, in the Aisle of the South Transept. The last six altars had statues of their
Saints on brackets against the columns fronting them, which brackets still remain.
22. Jesus' Altar, at the East end of the Nave; 23. St. John's Altar, in the Nave.
24. Our Lady of Pity; 25. The Vu-gin; 26. St. Bede's Altar: in the Galilee.
27. St. Saviour's Altar, " at going into the Galiley under the belfry."
28 The Neville Altar in the South Aisle of the Nave.
29. Our Lady of " Pittie," in the North Aisle of the Nave, at the West end.
30. In the West end of the " South Alley, with a rood representing Christ's Passion."
Some idea of their gorgeous appendages may be gleaned from the following
list of articles belonging to the High Altar, from Sanderson's work : —
" Over the altar hung a sumptuous canopy, for the sacrament to hang within, whereon
stood a pelican of silver gilt, giving her blood to her young, in token that Christ gave his
blood for the sins of the world, and the pix wherein the sacrament was hung was of gold ;
and the white cloth that hung over it was embroidered with gold and red silk, and four
great round knobs of gold, with tassels of gold and red silk hung at them ; and the crook
within the cloth that the pix hung upon was of gold. Also the gospeller carried a marvel-
lous book, which had on the covering the picture of our Saviour, all of silver : which book
did serve for the pax in the mass. And there were two chalices, one of gold, the other of
silver gilt, and the foot of it full of precious stones : likewise two great basins of silver,
one for priucipal days, gilt, a great large oue ; and two crewets of silver, containing a
quart a-piece, and two lesser crewets for every day, of silver : one pair of silver censers
' The stained glass in each window related to the Saints to whom the Altar below was dedicated.
48 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
for every day, and two pair of silver censers for every double feast, gilt ; two pair of sil-
ver censers, parcel gilt, for every day ; with two ships of silver, gilt, for principal days»
and two of silver for every day, to carry frankincense in ; and two silver candlesticks,
double gilt, for principal days, and two others for other days ; with goodly rich and sump-
tuous furniture for every festival day of changeable suits. The vestments were set round
with pearls and other jewels and ornaments. There were two crosses to be borne
on principal days for procession, one of gold, and the staff of silver, very curiously
wrought, and gilt : the other of silver, gilt, and the staff of wood, gilt. And a cross of
crystal for ordinary use. There was borne before the cross on principal days a holy-
water font of silver, finely engraved and gilt. At the North end of the High Altar, was
a lettern of brass, with a great pelican, and her wings spread abroad, whereon lay the
book in which they sung the Epistle and Gospel ; it was thought to be the finest lettern
in this country. Before the Altar within the Quire were three silver basins hanging in
chains of silver. These had latten basins, having pricks for great waxen candles to stand
on, which burned day and night. There was also another silver basin, hanging in silver
chains before the Sacrament of the High Altar, which was only lighted in the time of
mass. In the North side of the Quire is an almery in the wall, to lay any thing in per-
taining to the Altar, and another on the South side m the wall, to set the chalices,
basins, and the crewets in" (see Plate 4, Nos. 19 and 20.^
THE ABBEY BUILDINGS.
Of these Durham has perhaps a greater portion left than any monastic estab-
lishment in this country, and enough remains to render Durham Abbey exceed-
ingly interesting to the antiquary. We will now take the diflferent parts re-
presented on Plate 5, in succession of date, the first being the
CHAPTER HOUSE,
Which was in 1799 voted to be too large, and doomed to destruction for no
other purpose than to make "a comfortable room." Accordingly a man was
suspended by tackle above the groining, and knocked out the key stones, when
the whole fell, and crushed the paved floor, rich with grave-stones and brasses
of the Bishops and Priors. ' After this the Eastern portion, forty feet in length,
was pulled down, and a wall, with common sash windows, built across the re-
1 Unfortunately, not one of their inscriptions had been copied or preserved in any form.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 49
mainder. The Western door' and windows were then blocked up, and a plaster
ceiling added. Two doorways cut through the North wall completed the im-
provement. Nothing whatever remains of the East end but three of the cary-
atides'^ or brackets, which carried the ribs of the groining ; and even that in-
teresting relic, the stone chair, ^ in which all the Bishops, from Carileph to
Barrington, had been installed, was not thought worthy of being preserved.
Carter asserts on one of his sketches, that this interesting structure was dis-
mantled under the direction of James Wyatt, but this is not the fact, for the
demolition was superintended by Morpeth, the Chapter architect.
The Chapter House was built by Bishop Rufus (1133-1143), and the only
subsequent additions were some buttresses at the East end, a large perpendicular
window (above the doorway) formerly full of stained glass, and tracery, with
stained glass in the East windows. It appears that the windows on each side of
the doorway were never glazed, but merely fitted with iron bars. According to
Carter, its whole length was 77 ft.* The width is 34 ft. 5| in. ; and the height
(at the Western arch of the groining, which still remains) is about 45 feet.
The view represented in our engraving (Plate b2) is mostly derived from
materials still in the room or above the ceiling. In speaking of this Chapter
Room as the finest in the kingdom, as some accounts do, it must be qualified as
of " the Norman style," for it cannot be compared with the octagonal Room at
York, with its magnificent windows, groining, and richly-sculptured arcade. But
besides these points of advantage, the internal area of that at York is more than
2750 square feet, and exceeds the one in question by nearly four hundred feet.
Between the Chapter House and South Transept is the ancient parlour, where the
Monks received the visits of their relations, and where merchants used to vend
their wares. Its stone vaulting is a plain semicircular arch, and the North and
' In 1 830 the internal portion of this beautiful door was uncovered, as well as portions of the ar-
cade which had been pre\'iousIy plastered up.
2 These, after having been exposed for several years and much damaged, are preserved in the
Shrine {see Plate 28, where two are represented). A large quantity of the zig-zag rib work is also
presen'ed in the staircase at the South end of the Nine Altars.
3 Next to this chair and fastened into the wall, was a seat of wood, in which the Prior, and after-
wards the Dean sat, at the Bishop's A'isitations.
^ Carter's sketches bear evidence of hurried execution. For instance, in his Plan of the Cathedral,
the transepts are 22 feet longer than the actual dimensions. Another inaccuracy is in his plate of the
Nave doorway, where the dragons on the capitals f^ee Pfafc 4(y are drawn as geese, sitting tail to tail.
50 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
South walls had an interlaced arcade, portions of which still remain. The door-
way out of the Transept into this room and that at the N. E. angle of the Chapter
Room, are modern. Between the Chapter Room and Deanery are three small
rooms, anciently known as the prison for minor offences. The door to these, in
the South wall of the former, is now walled up, and the recess used as a plate closet.
The Crypt under the Library (anciently the Refectory), South of the Cloisters,
is also of the Norman period, as are the remains of some of the buildings of the
Guest Hall, which was the first building seen on entering the Abbey gateway.
Next, in point of date, is the early English Crypt of the Deanery Chapel. Ex-
cepting this, nearly the whole Deanery is the work of Prior Wessington (1416-
1446). Although it has been greatly modernised, much interesting work re-
mains, especially the very beautiful flat ribbed ceiling of the state bed room.
THE DEAN'S KITCHEN
Was erected by Prior Forcer, between 1368 and 1370, and is an octagon 36 ft.
8^ in. in diameter. The roll or account of the expenses of its erection is pre-
served, and its cost was £180. 17s. 7d. Its singular and unique groining is illus-
trated by Plate 74, where, for the sake of shewing its form, the vertical vanishing
point is used. The frame work consists of eight semicircular ribs, each ex-
tending over three sides of the octagon, the space left within their intersection
being converted into a lantern, most probably for ventilation, as all the food of
the" Convent was cooked here. It is lighted by two long windows in the South
side, and, excepting the blocking up of its fire place, and the erection of modern
fittings, it has not been otherwise altered.
THE DORMITORY
Upon the site of the present one, was destroyed in 1398,| when a contract was
made with John de Middleton, who built the Crypt. After this another contract
was made with Peter Dryng, to complete the Dormitory itself, during the year
1404. This spacious room, when clear of the modern buildings^ within it, is
193 feet 7 inches in length ; 38 feet 1 1 inches wide ; and in height to the roof
' The doorway (40, Plate 3) was the only portion left. Upon entering this a flight of steps leads
up to the floor, and a portion of the groining of the Northern compartment of the Crypt (see Plate 8)
is considerably lower than the others, to admit of the steps passing over it to the floor level.
^ A large portion of the East end of both is occupied by the house belonging to the fifth stall.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
51
31 feet : and tlic Crypt is of similar length and width, and about 15 feet high
to the crown of the vaulting.
Between the windows ranging along the East and West walls (Plate 3, y)
each Monk had a chamber to himself, the partition " betwixt every chamber being
close-wainscotted," and within the ample recess of the window was a desk for his
books. Each chamber was about ten feet square, open at the top, and having
a wood floor. Of these chambers, sixteen at the South end were appropriated
to the novices. The middle passage between the rooms " was paved with tile
stones the whole length, and at the North and South ends were a dozen cressets
to afford light at rising for the midnight matins."
The Crypt is applied to a variety of purposes, for although originally intended
to be entirely open, portions were walled off at a very early period, almost coeval
with the building. The first four compartments at the South end are occupied
as stables and cellars ; the fifth was converted by ancient walls into a passage
from the Cloisters to the Infirmary ; in each wall is a doorway to the Crypt.
The next three are occupied as a wood-house, and the ninth compartment, walled
off recently, is the Minor Canons' Vestry,' removed hither upon the destruction
of the Revestry in 1802. The tenth and eleventh are the singing-school, and
have been so for a long period, that is, since the destruction of the Sacrist's
rooms at the N.W. angle of the Choir. The twelfth and last, walled off about
the erection of the Crypt, is called the Treasury, " where all the treasures were
deposited, having a strong door with two locks upon it." It is divided in the
centre by an iron grating, and in the middle of it is an iron door. " Within
the grate was a square table, covered with green cloth, for telling their money ;
and here also were kept the best evidences of the house, and the Chapter seal ;
but afterwards it was altered, their treasure and money being kept in a strong
house" over the Abbey gateway.
A little to the South East of the Cathedral, on opposite sides of the river,
were the corn and water mills of the Abbey. The former has ceased to be used
for its original purpose, and the latter has been converted into a Museum.'
1 Were these four compartments used as the common house ? Sanderson says — " On the right
hand at going out of the Cloisters into the Infirmary was the common house." A fire was kept
constantly by day in winter for the Monks, who had no other to resort to. Also adjoining it towards
the water was a " garden and howling alley," for the novices to recreate themselves in.
- Supposing that the modem innovations upon the two rooms we have been describing were removed.
52
DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
THE ABBEY GATEWAY,
Represented in Plate 2, was built between 1494 and 1519, because the Norman
gateway had fallen into decay. A large room above the gateway, now divided
into offices for the Receiver and Treasurer, was, before the Reformation, a
Chapel, dedicated to St. Helene, and attached to it was a lodging room for the
priest, who twice a day performed mass for the benefit of the laity.
THE CLOISTERS (Plates 44 cmd 45j
Present nothing extraordinary in an architectural point of view, all the ancient
ornaments having disappeared from their walls, under the combined attacks of
time and chiselling. As to the windows (restored about sixty years ago) not
even their original character was allowed to exist.
Until the present Cloisters were erected, it is supposed that there was merely
a temporary covering of wood. Descriptions are left of their state in 1498, from
which we gather the following, viz. :— That the North side was glazed, and op-
posite every compartment of the windows (33 in number) was a pew or carrel,
richly carved, and each contained a desk for the use of the monks in their studies!
Opposite these, against the Cathedral wall, " stood certain great almeries of wain-
scot," containing their books, " as well the old-written Doctors of the Church,
as other prophane authors." The windows on the East side were of painted
glass, pourtraying the " story and miracles of St. Cuthbert," the whole of which
was destroyed by Dean Home.
On the South side, against the door of the Abbey, was a stone bench, ex-
tending to the Fratery door. Here, every Maunday Thursday, each Monk
washed the feet of a boy, and then gave him " thirty-pence in money, seven red
herrings, three loaves of bread, and a wafer-cake, besides drink." On the same
day the Prior washed the feet of eighteen poor men, and after kissing them, gave
to each the same presents as specified above.
By the Treasury door, on the West side, was " a fine stall where the novices
were taught ; and their master had a pretty seat of wainscot on the South side
of the door, opposite the stall where the novices ^i\xA\cAr— Sanderson, p. 77.
In the centre of the Cloister-square was an octagonal building, surmounted
by a dove-cote, and within it a laver or conduit, where the monks\vashed them-
and the Museum (now in aver)- inconvenient place) >Yas transferred to tliem, Durham would then have
a building worthy of any coUection, for there is as much floor space as in the Nave of the Cathedral.
DURHAM CATHEDRAL. 53
selves, and on each side of the Fratery door was an almery for their towels.
This building was erected in 1432-1433, and cost £23. 7s. 3d. The octasronal
basin (with what may be termed its trough) still remains, and is a single block
7 ft. 5 in. in diameter and 13 inches deep, and the latter is of two stones, ex-
tending the whole width to 9 ft. 7 in. These stones or marble were brouo-ht
from the river Tees, near Eggleston, and the Abbot of that place received
twenty shillings as purchase money. " The conduit had many spouts of brass,
and seven windows of stone-work ; and above, a dove-cote covered with lead.
Adjoining the East side of the conduit door hung a bell, to call the monks, at
eleven o'clock, to come and wash before dinner." — Sanderson, p. 75.
THE LIBRARY.
At the South side of the Cloisters, occupying the site of the Refectory above
the Norman crypt {see Plate 5), is the Library of the Dean and Chapter, cer-
tainly superior to any ecclesiastical library in this country, as it possesses above
eight thousand valuable printed books and "nearly seven hundred MSS., an
elaborate catalogue of five hundred of which has been printed by the Dean and
Chapter." The exterior of the original Library of the Abbey, against the
South Transept, is shewn by the low pointed window in Plate 45. This was built
by Prior Wessington, who placed a similar window at the East end. After the
dissolution of Monasteries the Refectory was the Common Hall of the Minor
Canons, and some time after was destroyed, but before this Dean Whittingham
took ofi" the high-pitched roof, made it nearly flat, and sold the lead, whereby
he gained " twenty pounds." The present Library was built by Dean Sud-
bury (1661-1684), but, dying before its completion, he bound his executors to
complete his design. Several Roman altars, found in various parts of Durham
and Northumberland are preserved here. In addition to the public entrance
from the Cloisters, there is one from the Deanery, adjoining the East end.
We have noticed all the buildings that time or demolition has spared. Some
of the houses of the Canons, in the " College Square," stand upon portions of
the foundations of others. The South extremity of Plate 5 is its North side ;
the boundary of the East side is the Abbey gateway, and the room, known as
having belonged to the Guest Hall, terminates the West side.
The Infirmary was between the Prebendal Houses (shewn in Plate 5) and
the Galilee, and contained the Sick Chamber, the Dead Man's Chamber, the
54 DURHAM CATHEDRAL.
Master's Room, and St. Andrew's Chapel, where the bodies of the deceased
monks lay all night previous to interment. In the morning they were removed
to the Chapter-House, and thence to the Cemetery. Under the Master's room
was the subterranean Prison, in which monks guilty of any serious crime were
confined for a whole year without seeing any one, and their food was let down
by a cord through a trap door.
The Loft, in which the sub-prior and monks dined and supped, was between
the Fratery and Dormitory. They entered from the West end of the former,
"up a pair of stairs having an iron rail to support themselves by." At the foot
of these (upon the site of the Library stairs) was the door of the Buttery under the
\o% "where all the drink stood that served the Prior and the whole Convent."
There is an angular space between the Kitchen and the Dormitory, occupied
by the house of the fifth stall, which is the site of the Cellarer's Exchequer.
The Treasurer' sEaxhequer was " a little stone building," between the Kitchen
and the Deanery, and the " Ferrer's Exchequer (house-keeper) was as you go
into the Guest-Hall on the left hand in the entvY."— Sanderson, p. 96. This
we believe to be the room adjoining the passage to the Walks {see Plate 5).
The Chamberlain's Exchequer adjoined the North side of the Abbey gate,
and underneath it was the tailors' shop of the Convent.
There is nothing left but the description of the Norman Guest Hall, which,
with the guest chambers, occupied the West side of the College square. It
was "not unlike the body of a Church, supported on each side by very fine pil-
lars, ' and in the midst of the hall a large range for the fire. The chambers and
lodgings were richly furnished, and very pleasant to lie in, especially one called
the King's Chamber, for the King might very well lie in it, such was the state-
liness thereof." — Sanderson, jo. 81.
On the South side of the square were the granaries and malt-kiln, and in the
open space towards the West side is the ancient conduit, miserably defaced by
restoration. Another establishment, connected with the Abbey, was "for cer-
tain children, called the children of the almery, who were educated in learning,
and relieved with the alms and benevolence of the whole house, having their
meat and drink in a loft on the North side of the Abbey gate."
' A portion of one of these columns (elaborately car^'ed) was discovered a few years back, during
the reparation of one of the Prebendal houses.
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